Prostate cancer decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service connection claims for ischemic heart disease, kidney cancer, prostate cancer, and diabetes mellitus, type II are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than July 5, 2012, for the award of service connection for prostate cancer residuals was denied. The Veteran also had a remanded issue regarding an initial rating in excess of 60 percent for the residuals of prostate cancer.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is presumed to be related to his exposure to herbicides during active service in Thailand, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus, both related to exposure to an herbicide agent while in service, are remanded due to the need to obtain his military personnel records from U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's prostate cancer is at least as likely as not related to his in-service exposure to ionizing radiation, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's claim to reopen service connection for bladder cancer was denied.,The Veteran's claims to reopen service connection for prostate disability and bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities were both granted, with the latter being reopened.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, prostate cancer, and diabetes mellitus II as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service injury/disease that would support these claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was reopened and denied. The claim for service connection for prostate disability (including elevated PSA levels, prostate cancer, and prostatitis) was also denied.

The Veteran's appeal regarding an increased rating for prostate cancer with residual voiding dysfunction, including whether a reduction in rating from 40 percent to 20 percent was proper, has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.

The Veteran's prostate cancer status post-prostatectomy with urinary incontinence remains at a 60% rating, but his erectile dysfunction secondary to prostate cancer is remanded for further evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction (secondary to prostate cancer), and bilateral foot fungus. The evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the pending reduction of his prostate cancer rating and SMC based on housebound criteria. The issue will be reconsidered after these reductions are resolved.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted service connection due to herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, Type II, is granted service connection due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's appeal regarding a higher disability rating for prostate cancer residuals has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal in March 2019.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, and scars related to prostate surgery due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service or exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The Board found that the Veteran's prostate cancer was not caused by his time at Camp Lejeune and did not find a nexus between his current prostate cancer and any other potential risk factors.

The Veteran's death was not caused by his service-connected disabilities, and therefore the claim for cause of death is denied. The DIC claim under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is also denied as the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a total disability rating for at least ten years immediately preceding his death.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted as service connected due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his time in the Korean DMZ.

The Board denied service connection for a heart condition, hypertension, and prostate cancer. The Veteran's medical records did not establish exposure to ionizing radiation or herbicides during his period of service.,Service connection was also denied for a mood disorder as the cause is determined to be non-service-connected.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and TDIU were denied. The left shoulder disability was rated at 10% prior to July 13, 2010, and at 20% from that date onwards. The prostate cancer rating remained at 20%, the PTSD rating at 30%, and the right shoulder impingement rating at 20%. TDIU was denied as of February 6, 2018.

The Board denied service connection for pain and weakness of the left and right lower extremities, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, prostate cancer, and skin rash of bilateral arms as there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during service.