Prostate cancer decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, lung disability, heart disability, hypertension, gastrointestinal disability, and prostate cancer, are remanded due to the need for further verification of in-service herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding his exposure to herbicide agents and for further development of his Social Security Administration disability records.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is rated at 40 percent, and his erectile dysfunction is not compensable. The Board found that the prostate cancer was in remission and did not warrant a higher rating. There was no evidence of deformity or Peyronie's disease related to ED.

Service connection is granted for ischemic heart disease, prostate cancer, atrial fibrillation, aortic valve replacement, pacemaker installation, and digestive condition (Barrett’s syndrome and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)). Service connection is remanded for right hip condition, left hip condition, and colon cancer.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's residuals of prostate cancer and diabetes metillus, type II, as these conditions are presumed to be due to herbicide exposure during his military service in Korea.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder and prostate cancer were granted in a June 2015 rating decision. The Board has determined that the effective dates should be earlier than December 12, 2014, but there is insufficient evidence to establish when the initial claim was filed.

The Veteran's death was not caused by or the result of VA treatment, nor did it result from carelessness, negligence, lack of skill or similar incidence of fault on the part of the VA attending personnel. The Board finds no evidence in the record that is inconsistent with the medical opinion’s conclusion that VA’s care of the Veteran was not unreasonable.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, Type II and prostate cancer are granted as due to herbicide agent exposure. The Board also grants service connection for left and right foot diabetic neuropathy as secondary to the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, Type II.,Service connection is established for diabetes mellitus, Type II and prostate cancer based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents during active duty in Vietnam.

The Veteran's service-connected prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, resulting in the denial of his TDIU claim from July 1, 2013.

The Board has granted service connection for left shoulder arthritis and denied service connection for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus. Service connection was granted for the left shoulder arthritis based on a current diagnosis related to an in-service injury, while service connection for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus were not granted due to lack of evidence of exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is not considered presumptively service-connected due to exposure at Camp Lejeune, but the claim remains open for direct service connection. The Board has ordered a VA examination to determine if there is any link between his prostate cancer and his time at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of prostate cancer and type II diabetes mellitus, both claimed as due to in-service herbicide exposure. The Veteran served in Vietnam and has current diagnoses of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of coronary artery disease, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, type II, and cataracts are granted. The claim for service connection of renal insufficiency is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection of prostate cancer, as there is insufficient evidence to corroborate his exposure to herbicides in Guam. The case will be returned to the RO for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 40 percent for his prostate cancer residuals, finding that the reduction from 100% to 40% was proper. The matter is REMANDED as the Veteran should be scheduled for a new VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer as due to herbicide agent exposure, finding no evidence of such exposure in Thailand.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and soft sarcoma of the skin, both presumed to be due to herbicide agent exposure. The evidence did not support current diagnoses or a causal relationship between these conditions and service.

The Board has restored a 100 percent disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected prostate cancer, effective April 1, 2016.

The Veteran's prostate cancer claim is being remanded due to the need for additional verification of his service on a ship in the Republic of Vietnam, which could potentially allow him to be eligible for presumptive service connection under the Procopio decision.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient development regarding the Veteran's allegations of herbicide and hazardous materials exposure during service, which may be related to his prostate cancer. The Veteran will need an examination to determine if his prostate cancer is related to his military service.