Prostate cancer decisions — 2018

The Veteran's prostate cancer is rated at 100% permanent, but the RO found that his disability was not permanent and total. The appellant's son cannot be approved for DEA benefits.

The Board has dismissed the appeal regarding whether the Veteran's combined disability evaluation was properly calculated. The reduction of his prostate cancer disability evaluation from 100% to noncompensable effective April 1, 2014 is upheld. The issue of a compensable evaluation for residuals of prostate cancer and an evaluation higher than 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss are remanded.

The Veteran's left bicipital tendonitis is granted service connection as secondary to his service-connected residuals of lacerated left little finger. Service connection for prostate cancer and chronic lymphocytic leukemia is denied due to lack of exposure to herbicides during service. The rating for hearing loss remains at 10 percent.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable evaluation for erectile dysfunction associated with prostate cancer, in remission is dismissed. The claim for an initial compensable evaluation for prostate cancer, in remission prior to February 9, 2016, and an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent from that date is remanded.

Service connection for PTSD is granted due to current diagnosis and credible supporting evidence of in-service stressors.,Service connection for IHD - Coronary Artery Disease and prostate cancer is denied as there was no exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, prostate cancer, and diabetes mellitus due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The Veteran did not submit new and material evidence in support of these claims.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, prostate cancer, and heart disability due to exposure to herbicide agents as the Veteran did not serve in a unit stationed at the DMZ or otherwise demonstrate actual exposure to an herbicide agent during active service.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is granted with a 20% rating. The prostate cancer and PTSD claims are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer due to herbicide exposure in Thailand and also granted secondary service connection for erectile dysfunction as it is proximately due to the service-connected prostate cancer.

The Veteran's lung disorder, prostate cancer, skin disorder, thyroid disorder, Parkinson's disease, and seizure disorder are not service-connected as they did not begin during active duty or are not related to any in-service injury, event, or disease.,While the Veteran reported exposure to asbestos while working with heating pipes during his Merchant Marine service, the Board found no evidence of a diagnosis or treatment for lung conditions during his active duty years. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that the current diagnoses are related to in-service exposures.,The Veteran's prostate cancer was diagnosed decades after separation from service and there is no credible evidence showing exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. The Board found no connection between the current diagnosis and any in-service injury, event, or disease.,There were no diagnoses of skin disorders during active duty years, and the June 2017 examiner could not find objective evidence linking the Veteran's current skin conditions to service. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that the current diagnoses are related to in-service exposures.,The Board found no credible evidence showing exposure to herbicide agents during active duty years, and there is no diagnosis or treatment for thyroid disorders documented during those years. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that the current diagnosis is related to any in-service injury, event, or disease.,There was no credible evidence showing exposure to herbicide agents during active duty years, and the June 2017 examiner could not find objective evidence linking the Veteran's current seizure disorder to service. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that the current diagnosis is related to any in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Veteran's prostate cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and diabetes mellitus are granted as presumptively related to herbicide agent exposure during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for service connection for GERD, headaches, and lumbosacral spine disability were denied. The petition to reopen the claim for service connection for prostate cancer was granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction, as well as his claim for SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ due to erectile dysfunction, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not establish a link between the conditions and service or any service-connected disability.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, incontinence, and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressive mood due to exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected prostate cancer is remanded due to the need for additional examination and records review.

The Board has restored service connection for prostate cancer and remanded the issues of entitlement to increased disability rating, secondary service connection for erectile dysfunction, and service connection for a back disability.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for hypertension, skin disorder, diabetes mellitus, and prostate cancer due to insufficient medical evidence on file.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer, finding that the evidence supports this decision.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate examination and development, requiring a VA genitourinary examination to determine the current nature and etiology of any prostate disability.