Prostate cancer decisions — 2018

The Veteran's prostate cancer radiation therapy residuals, including anorectal and urinary/bladder symptoms, need to be reassessed due to worsening reported by the Veteran. Updated VA treatment records are needed, as well as private treatment records if available.

The Veteran's appeal to reopen his claim of service connection for a left knee disability is granted. The appeal to reopen his claim of service connection for a left foot disability is denied. His claims for service connection for a left ankle disability and prostate cancer are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient evidence regarding his exposure to herbicide agents and verification of his service on the USS Uhlmann in Vietnam.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease and prostate cancer, both of which are diseases recognized as etiologically related to exposure to herbicide agents. The Veteran's duties at the Udorn RTAFB in Thailand likely exposed him to herbicide agents during his service.

The Board granted a maximum rating of 60 percent for the Veteran's residuals of prostate cancer, effective from December 1, 2015. The decision was based on the Veteran's consistent need to change absorbent materials more than four times per day due to urinary leakage and nocturia.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was not incurred or aggravated during service and is denied as there is no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides.

The Board denied reopening the claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the hands and remanded issues regarding a skin rash, right lower extremity injury residuals, and prostate cancer. The decision is denied.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction, associated with his service-connected prostate cancer residuals, is not rated higher than noncompensable due to lack of evidence of a deformity of the penis.

The Veteran's prostate cancer and neurobehavioral effects are remanded for further examination and opinion regarding their relation to service at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is granted as service-connected. The issues of initial compensable evaluation for prostate cancer residuals and service connection for tingling in both hands and arms are remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was not service-connected because there is no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicide agents, and the condition did not manifest within one year after service. The Board found that the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that the prostate cancer is related to service or any event of service.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, atherosclerosis, and prostate cancer due to Agent Orange exposure as the Veteran was not exposed to herbicide agents while stationed in Fort Gordon, Georgia or Fort Clayton, Panama.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is being remanded for further development to determine if he was exposed to Agent Orange during his service in Cambodia.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is presumed to be due to herbicide exposure in service, and his erectile dysfunction is found to be secondary to his service-connected prostate cancer. Both conditions are granted.

The Veteran's MDD is rated at 70 percent effective January 24, 2012. The Veteran's TDIU claim for the period from June 29, 2015 to August 23, 2017 is denied.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent prior to June 11, 2013. The Board found that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to his social and occupational impairment.,For the prostate cancer residuals, an additional VA examination is needed as there are outstanding records from May 2013.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied service connection for left and right ankle disorders, respiratory cancer, ischemic heart disease, and prostate cancer due to exposure to herbicide agents.,Service connection was not granted for the Veteran's claimed conditions as there is no current diagnosis of any of these conditions during the appeal period.

The Veteran's claims for prostate cancer, ocular sarcoidosis, and left shoulder scar were reopened. Service connection was granted for the left shoulder scar but denied for prostate cancer and ocular sarcoidosis.

The case is remanded due to the inextricably intertwined nature of the service connection claims for diabetes mellitus and several other conditions. Additional development is required to determine whether the Veteran served on land in Vietnam, which could impact his service connection claims.