Prostate cancer decisions — 2018

The Board has dismissed all the Veteran's claims as they are now moot due to his death.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bladder cancer, prostate cancer, and hearing loss for accrued benefits purposes. Additionally, the cause of death claim is also being remanded due to insufficient evidence linking the Veteran's bladder cancer to Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's death was caused by prostate cancer, which is not related to his active service.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his prostate cancer residuals from December 1, 2015 was granted to a maximum of 60 percent. The other issues were dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer as there was no evidence of herbicide exposure in service and the condition did not manifest within one year after separation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a prostate condition is denied. The Board found that the evidence does not support a finding of exposure to herbicides during service and concluded that there was no nexus between the Veteran’s prostate cancer and his in-service treatment or jet fuel exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, due to herbicide exposure, is denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the condition and his military service.,The Veteran's initial increased rating claim for prostate cancer status post radiation is also denied. The predominant residual is considered voiding dysfunction.

The Board has denied service connection for prostate cancer and remanded the issues of service connection for low back disability, sinus disability, and sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for prostate cancer service connection is denied as the earliest possible effective date is September 19, 2013.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and remanded the issue of a higher rating for prostate cancer. The case is being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for various conditions and rating determinations. The specific issues include recurrent skin disorder, psychiatric disorders (including depressive disorder), sleep disorders (including OSA), peripheral neuropathy, prostate cancer residuals, and tinnitus.

The Board has decided to remand both the 1151 claim for benefits related to left eye disability and the service connection claim for prostate cancer due to incomplete records from VA and private providers.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for prostate cancer residuals and remanded it for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination with a urologist.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient verification of the Veteran's exposure to herbicides during service in Korea. The AOJ must obtain the Veteran’s complete personnel records and attempt to verify his service near the DMZ.

The claim of entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death has been denied.,The claim of benefits pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1318 (2012) has also been denied.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus, type II, as these conditions are presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during the Veteran's active service in Thailand.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, except for prostate cancer, do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's cause of death, Alzheimer's Disease due to or as a consequence of prostate cancer, is found to be related to his service-connected prostate cancer. Service connection for the cause of death is granted.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for hypothyroidism and denied a TDIU due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The Board found that the Veteran's hypothyroidism did not result in fatigability, constipation, or mental sluggishness, which are required for a higher rating. The Board also determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities were not of sufficient severity to produce unemployability.

The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals and sleep apnea are granted as service connected due to herbicide exposure during active duty.