Prostate cancer decisions — 2017

The Board found that the Veteran did not have service in Vietnam or along the DMZ of Korea, and thus could not be presumed to have been exposed to herbicides. The claims for service connection were denied as there was no evidence linking any claimed conditions to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining complete service personnel records and a VA examination to clarify the nature and etiology of his prostate cancer. Additionally, he will be scheduled for a VA examination to assess the combined impact of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to work.

The Veteran's tinnitus, prostate cancer, and ischemic heart disease are granted service connection as related to Agent Orange exposure during active duty.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. No service connection decisions were made.

The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals have been rated at 40 percent since March 26, 2013. The rating is based on the need for frequent use of absorbent materials which must be changed more than four times per day.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is not service connected, and his claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from engaging in or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral inguinal hernias are etiologically related to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The issue of prostate cancer is remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining an opinion from a toxicologist regarding potential herbicide exposure and examining the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected as they did not manifest during active duty or due to in-service noise exposure. The Veteran's prostate cancer is not service-connected as there is no evidence of herbicide agent exposure, and his urinary disorder is not service-connected as it is not linked to the service-connected prostate cancer.,The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, prostate cancer, and a urinary disorder are all denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's service connection claims for prostate cancer and skin cancer due to exposure during active duty, including benzene. The SMC claim is also being remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for gout, prostate cancer, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ. The claim for bilateral eye disorder was reopened but not granted.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for prostate cancer and bone cancer are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA opinion on the etiology of his diagnosed conditions.

The Veteran's metastatic prostate cancer is not linked to his active service, and the Board finds that service connection for this condition cannot be established.

The Veteran's service connection claims for CAD, diabetes mellitus type II, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, prostate cancer, and ED secondary to prostate cancer are granted with effective dates prior to June 19, 2015.,The effective date for each claim is March 31, 2011.

The Veteran's intermittent incontinence is not considered a residual of his service-connected prostate cancer, and therefore the claim for an initial compensable rating since April 1, 2013, for residuals of prostate cancer has been denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for SMC based on being housebound due to his service-connected disabilities, as he is not substantially confined to his dwelling and immediate premises.

The Veteran's residuals of prostate cancer are rated at 40 percent prior to September 24, 2012. From September 24, 2012 to July 20, 2015, the rating is increased to 60 percent. Beginning July 21, 2015, a higher rating in excess of 60 percent for residuals of prostate cancer is denied.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if there are any current residuals or active disease.

The Board has remanded the case due to unavailability of service treatment records and the need for the Appellant to submit any in her possession. The claim will be returned after compliance with appellate procedures.