Prostate cancer decisions — 2019

The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals, manifested by urinary leakage requiring the use of absorbent material that must be changed more than four times per day, have been granted a higher initial disability rating of 60 percent from June 19, 2015.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty about the Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange during service. Additional development is needed to verify if the USS SARATOGA (CV 60) traveled in the 12 nautical mile territorial sea of the Republic of Vietnam while the Veteran was stationed aboard.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is presumed to be due to herbicide exposure in the Gulf War, and service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has determined that more development is needed to determine if the Veteran was exposed to herbicides while on the U.S.S. Diamond Head, and whether an Agent Orange spill occurred onboard. The claims for service connection are being remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claim for prostate cancer as a residual of Agent Orange exposure is being remanded due to the need to verify his in-service exposure.

The Board granted DIC based on service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death due to prostate cancer, which was not related to service. The appellant's claim is based on presumed exposure to radiation during military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus have been granted. The claim for service connection for glaucoma is remanded due to lack of presumptive exposure.

The Veteran's claims for prostate cancer, rectal cancer, and lymph node cancer were denied as they were not filed prior to August 14, 2017. The effective date of the service connection grants is set at August 14, 2017.

The Board has remanded several issues including service connection for hypertension, prostate cancer residuals, and TDIU due to cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer. The Veteran's claims are being reviewed again as new medical opinions are needed.

The Board denied service connection for lung cancer and prostate cancer, finding no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service or exposure to herbicides. The cause of death was attributed to pneumonia and metastatic renal cell cancer (metastatic to lungs).

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete information regarding periods of active and inactive duty training, exposure to ionizing radiation during service, and a possible connection between elevated PSA levels while in service and later prostate cancer diagnosis.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease and prostate cancer, both presumed to be due to herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's initial claim for service connection for residuals of prostate cancer was granted, but the RO denied an increased evaluation on and after March 18, 2015.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, CAD, and prostate cancer due to a lack of in-service herbicide exposure. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for gingivitis and a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction are dismissed. The appeal for TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer and diabetes, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hypertension, renal cancer, prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction due to in-service herbicide exposure. The reasons include new findings by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine regarding a possible association between hypertension and Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) is denied because the evidence does not show that his service-connected disabilities alone are of sufficient severity to produce unemployability.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is currently rated as noncompensable.,Prior to April 13, 2017, the Veteran’s prostate cancer was rated at 20 percent. From April 13, 2017, it has been rated at 20 percent.,PTSD prior to April 7, 2017 was rated as noncompensable; from April 7, 2017, it is rated at 30 percent.,The Veteran's prostate cancer does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. PTSD meets the criteria for a 30 percent rating but not higher.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus type II, and kidney cancer due to potential exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's service on USS Constellation is under review to determine if he was within the 12 nautical mile territorial sea of Vietnam.