Prostate cancer decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a sinus condition is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the claimed condition.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), hypertension, prostate cancer, and diabetes mellitus, type II are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.,Service connection for obesity was previously denied in a January 2019 rating decision. The Board notes that on January 6, 2017, the General Counsel issued a precedential opinion which held that obesity could be an 'intermediate step' between a service-connected disability and a current disability.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its etiology.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches is remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with his claims for sleep apnea.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to his service-connected prostate cancer, which contributed substantially to his sepsis and subsequent death.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal regarding the reduction of prostate cancer rating from 100 to 10 percent as of June 1, 2015.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer and hernia, prevent him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer due to exposure to herbicides, specifically Agent Orange, is being remanded for further development. The VA will obtain medical records and attempt to verify the Veteran’s alleged exposure in Okinawa.

The Veteran's bladder cancer is remanded for a medical opinion to determine if it is related to service, including herbicide exposure. The cause of death claim is also remanded as there has not been an opinion on the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected conditions and his death.

The Veteran's service connection claim for prostate cancer is being remanded due to potential exposure in the territorial seas of Vietnam. The Board will attempt to verify if the USS Ticonderoga was within 12 nautical miles of Vietnam during his service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for gout has been dismissed. The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for COPD, IHD, prostate cancer, type II diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy due to his exposure to herbicide agents during service in the South China Sea.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was rated at 100% effective November 18, 2013. The Board found that an earlier effective date of November 18, 2012 is warranted based on the one-year look back period from the date of claim.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is found to be at least as likely as not related to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during his service, and thus service connection for prostate cancer is granted.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted service connection based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his time in Korea.

The Board has denied service connection for erectile dysfunction and prostate cancer, but has remanded the claim for a psychiatric disorder and drug and alcohol use. The Veteran is required to undergo further examination.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is not service connected as it did not manifest during or within one year after service, and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure. The Board denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, Type II and prostate cancer due to a lack of evidence showing herbicide agent exposure during service. The preponderance of the evidence does not support these claims.,For the skin rash disorder claim, there is no evidence linking it to service or any other presumptive basis.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted service connection as it is presumed to have developed due to herbicide agent exposure. Service connection for soft tissue sarcoma (skin cancer) is remanded and a VA examination is required.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer due to in-service herbicide exposure is being remanded as the evidence does not conclusively show that Agent Orange was used at his unit in Okinawa.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease and prostate cancer, finding that the Veteran's Thailand service qualifies for the presumption of herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for prostate cancer is dismissed. The case of service connection for hypertension and increase in the ratings for sarcoidosis is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for coronary artery disease prior to February 23, 2019 and granted a 100% rating from that date forward. For prostate cancer residuals, the claim was denied as there was no local recurrence or metastasis since radiation treatment concluded in 2007.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for prostate cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and erectile dysfunction due to exposure to Agent Orange. Further development is needed to determine if the Veteran was exposed to Agent Orange while serving aboard Navy vessels in Vietnam.