Prostate cancer decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the claims for kidney cancer and prostate cancer due to herbicide exposure as there is insufficient medical evidence to determine if these conditions are related to such exposure. The appellant will need to provide an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding the relationship between the diagnosed disorders and exposure to defoliation agents.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer as the Veteran did not have exposure to herbicides during his military service and there was no evidence of in-country service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding whether the Veteran's prostate cancer is secondary to his service-connected hepatitis C and Ribavirin treatment.

The Board denied service connection for chronic kidney disease and prostate cancer, finding no evidence of radiation exposure or a link to active duty service.

The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals, including urinary incontinence requiring absorbent materials changed more than four times per day, are rated at 60 percent effective October 22, 2013.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was not shown to be related to his service or a service-connected condition, and the Board denied service connection for this disability.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and urinary dysfunction associated with prostate cancer have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to obtain or maintain a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board finds that TDIU benefits are warranted.

The Veteran's service connection for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus was properly severed, effective December 1, 2015. As a result, the Board denied requests for higher initial disability ratings as they are barred by law.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee osteoarthritis, bilateral hearing loss, and major depressive disorder. Service connection is denied for prostate cancer.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer as the evidence did not support a link between the Veteran's military service and his current condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is secondary to his service-connected prostate cancer, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development of his private medical records. The initial compensable rating claim for erectile dysfunction and the higher ratings claim for prostate cancer residuals are both under review.

The Board has dismissed the appeals of service connection for left eye blindness, right eye vision loss, prostate cancer, and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information about the Veteran's prostate cancer and its relation to service, specifically his vasectomy and exposure to carcinogens.

The Veteran's appeal of prostate cancer is dismissed. The Board has remanded the issues regarding loss of sense of balance and falling, respiratory disability, bowel dysfunction, and diabetes mellitus, type II for further development.

An earlier effective date of March 18, 2016 for the award of service connection for Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) is granted.,No effective date prior to January 28, 2014 for residuals of prostate cancer as there was no formal or informal claim received before that date.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer, which he claims is due to exposure to herbicide agents, has been remanded. The AOJ must obtain treatment records and develop the claim based on new evidence.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death, finding that none of his disabilities attributable to presumed exposure to herbicide agents caused or contributed to his death. The immediate cause of death was sepsis, which began shortly before the Veteran's death while hospitalized.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection and restoration of a prostate cancer evaluation are denied. The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development to obtain medical records and for a VA examination.