Prostate cancer decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran not reporting for a scheduled hearing and his address changing. The Veteran is requested to provide their current mailing address so that they can be notified of an additional opportunity to report for a videoconference hearing.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining a legible copy of the December 2016 Prostate Cancer DBQ and an updated VA respiratory conditions examination. The TDIU issue is also deferred as it is inextricably intertwined with the other claims.

The Veteran's residuals of prostate cancer, status post prostatectomy, are rated at 40 percent from October 1, 2009 to December 16, 2014.,For the period from December 16, 2014 forward, a rating in excess of 60 percent is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding herbicide exposure at Takhli RTAFB.

The Board has granted service connection for depression and CAD, status post coronary artery bypass graft, both secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board found that the rating reduction from 100 percent to 10 percent for prostate cancer residuals was proper and granted a 10 percent rating effective August 1, 2016.

The Board finds that the reduction of the Veteran's prostate cancer rating from 100% to 20% was proper as there was no evidence of local reoccurrence or metastasis. The Veteran is not entitled to a higher disability rating for his prostate cancer, status post external radiotherapy.

The Veteran's prostate cancer and prostatitis, as well as his degenerative changes of the lumbar spine, are being remanded for additional development to determine if they are related to service.

The Board has decided that a remand is necessary to address the Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction, specifically whether his use of PTSD medications and other service-connected conditions contribute to his condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and retrieval of pertinent treatment records.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was not incurred in or aggravated by service and a malignant tumor may not be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed bladder cancer, kidney cancer, and prostate cancer are as likely as not attributable to his in-service exposure to herbicides, specifically Agent Orange. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is currently rated at 60 percent disabling, effective September 2, 2014. The Veteran has voiding dysfunction requiring absorbent material changed more than four times per day and three to four nighttime awakenings to urinate.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, ischemic heart disease, and prostate cancer due to exposure to herbicides. The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides during his service or that he had any of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for traumatic brain injury, tinnitus, and prostate cancer have been denied as there is no evidence of a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is presumed due to herbicide exposure during service. His left lower extremity disability, including arthritis of the knee and ankle, is also presumed as related to his in-service injuries. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unemployable since March 23, 2011.

The Board has remanded the case for a videoconference hearing to address whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for prostate cancer, specifically related to secondary service connection due to herbicide exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer on a presumptive basis due to Agent Orange exposure, but has denied an earlier effective date prior to March 13, 2015.

The case is being remanded for further development to assess the nature and extent of the Veteran's potential and actual chemical and radiation exposure while serving at Fort McClellan and attending the U.S. Army Chemical School.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was not exposed to herbicides during his service in Thailand. Therefore, he is not entitled to presumptive service connection for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus.