Prostate cancer decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance or housebound status is denied as there is no evidence of actual need for such benefits.

The Board has denied service connection for prostate cancer and remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied service connection for pyorrhea of the gums due to lack of loss of substance of the jawbone or surrounding tissue. The claims for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus as a result of exposure to herbicides are remanded for further investigation.

The Veteran's prostate condition, diagnosed as benign prostatic hypertrophy and claimed as prostate cancer, is denied because there is no evidence of a nexus between the current disability and his service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for pterygium of the right eye was denied as there is no evidence that it is related to his military service.,His claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for hairy cell leukemia was denied due to lack of anemia or aplastic anemia, and he currently has a non-compensable rating for this condition.,The Veteran's claim for erectile dysfunction associated with prostate cancer residuals was denied as there is no evidence of penis deformity. The Veteran had a 20 percent rating initially but it was increased to 40 percent due to voiding dysfunction, which he now contends requires changing absorbent materials more than four times per day.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 60 percent for prostate cancer residuals since specific dates were denied as his condition is currently rated at the maximum allowable level.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for erectile dysfunction and prostate cancer residuals due to the need for further examination to determine the severity of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer due to herbicide exposure is granted. The heart condition claim is remanded as the evidence does not meet the herbicide presumption.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer as there was no evidence of exposure to herbicide agents, including Agent Orange, during the Veteran's service in Korea.

The Veteran's service connection claim for prostate cancer is granted due to exposure near the air base perimeter during his active duty in Thailand.

The Board has granted service connection for loss of use of both lower extremities due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, effective from June 2018. The appeal for special monthly compensation based on loss of use of extremities is also granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer was reopened due to new and material evidence. However, the claim was denied as there is no evidence that his prostate cancer is related to exposure to x-ray radiation or mercury in service.

Service connection is granted for prostate cancer due to exposure to herbicide agents during service. Service connection is remanded for colonic adenocarcinoma.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and prostate cancer due to insufficient evidence regarding exposure to herbicides during service.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 60 percent for prostate and bladder cancer, to include separate evaluations for residuals of prostate and bladder cancer, is denied. The Veteran's residuals are properly considered under the predominant residual; voiding dysfunction, and a separate compensable rating for prostate and bladder cancer would violate the prohibition against pyramiding.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disorder and remanded the claims for prostate cancer, left upper extremity neuropathy, right upper extremity neuropathy, left lower extremity neuropathy, and right lower extremity neuropathy due to new evidence submitted since the last final denial.

The Board found that the reduction of the Veteran's prostate cancer rating from 100% to 20% was proper, effective February 1, 2015. The Veteran’s disability is now rated as residuals of prostate cancer.

The Veteran's TB claim is denied, and his prostate cancer and granulomatous prostatitis claims are remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's death was not due to a service-connected disability that had been rated as totally disabling for at least eight years prior to his death. Therefore, the claim for an increased rate of DIC is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for financial assistance in purchasing an automobile or adaptive equipment due to his hip and pelvis disabilities.

The Veteran's bladder condition, claimed as frequent urination, is granted service connection secondary to his service-connected prostate cancer. The RO also granted a 40% rating for the residuals of his service-connected prostate cancer effective March 1, 2012.