Prostate cancer decisions — 2016

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer residuals, finding that it was not incurred or aggravated by active duty and could not be presumed due to exposure to ionizing radiation. The advisory opinion concluded that the Veteran's prostate cancer is unlikely caused by his exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is presumed related to his service in Thailand due to herbicide exposure, and the Board grants service connection for residuals of prostate cancer.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an updated dose assessment based on the Veteran's statements of his physical location during atmospheric testing in Operation TUMBLER-SNAPPER. The claims will be forwarded to the Under Secretary for Benefits for further consideration.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for multiple myeloma, prostate cancer, and diabetes mellitus as secondary to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was not shown to have had its onset during active service, within one year of separation from service, or due to exposure to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune. The Board found the evidence against a nexus between the Veteran's prostate cancer and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including cataracts, prostate cancer, impotence, stroke residuals, sinusitis, bladder tumor, and sleep apnea, are not service-connected as they were first manifested many years after service without any credible evidence of a connection to service.

The Veteran's residuals of prostate cancer do not warrant an initial rating in excess of 60 percent.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction, associated with his service-connected prostate cancer and radical prostatectomy, is rated as noncompensably disabling due to the lack of evidence of penile deformity. The claim for an initial compensable rating for erectile dysfunction is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected prostate cancer.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication due to incomplete information from the Veteran regarding his TDIU claim, including a lack of completed VA Form 21-8940. The AOJ is instructed to secure all relevant medical records and obtain releases for any private treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's prostate cancer, diagnosed following service and presumed to be due to herbicide exposure, is granted as service connected. His bone metastasis, a manifestation of his now-service-connected prostate cancer, is also granted.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of prostate cancer, including as due to exposure to herbicides. The evidence received since the April 2009 rating decision is new and material, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have not met the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals from May 19, 2015, warranted an initial disability rating of 60 percent.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess the current severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, and skin cancer are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has determined that further development is needed before the claims for service connection can be decided.

The Board found that the Veteran's current migraines are not etiologically related to his military service and denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining service personnel records and verifying herbicide exposure. VA examinations will be scheduled if herbicide exposure is confirmed.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer as due to an anthrax vaccination received during active service. The Court affirmed the denial of service connection for prostate cancer as due to undiagnosed illness, but vacated the portion denying service connection for prostate cancer as due to an anthrax vaccination.