Prostate cancer decisions — 2019

The Board has granted the reopening of the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, but denied both the original and reopened claims for service connection for prostate cancer.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease and prostate cancer are granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his time in Thailand.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is currently rated at 100 percent, and the claim for a higher rating is granted. The claims for increased ratings of left lower extremity lymphedema and right lower extremity lymphedema are remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicides in Thailand, which could affect his claim for service connection of prostate cancer as secondary to such exposure.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer, coronary artery disease, liver disease, erectile dysfunction, kidney disease, and pigmentation scar on the head. The claim for prostate cancer was reopened based on new evidence, but it was still denied as there is no direct or presumptive link to service.,Service connection for coronary artery disease, liver disease, erectile dysfunction, and kidney disease were also denied due to lack of in-service diagnosis or chronicity.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer, PTSD, diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus were denied as there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service, including exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Veteran was granted a TDIU from January 6, 2015 to May 20, 2018.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for a rating in excess of 50 percent for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU. The prostate cancer claim is remanded due to insufficient development, including verification of herbicide exposure and a VA medical opinion on the relationship between service-connected epididymitis and prostate cancer.

The Board denied both the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction as secondary to prostate cancer, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Board previously denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of prostate cancer. The CAVC found that the prior decision was inadequate due to a misstatement regarding the Veteran’s dose estimate and an insufficient rationale provided based on the incorrect estimate. The case is now remanded for an addendum opinion from the medical professional who conducted the December 2016 VA examination.

The Board found that a reduction of the evaluation for prostate cancer from 100 percent to 40 percent, effective March 1, 2013, was proper. The Veteran's residuals of prostate cancer were characterized by voiding dysfunction and required changing absorbent materials more than four times per day after December 24, 2013, warranting a 60% rating.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral tinnitus due to the lack of a current diagnosis.,Service connection is remanded for ischemic heart disease, prostate cancer, and diabetes mellitus (type II) as these conditions may be associated with herbicide exposure in Thailand.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, chronic atrial fibrillation, hypertension, low back disorder, and prostate cancer. The appeals for headaches with loss of balance, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are being remanded.,Service connection was not granted for any of the conditions listed in the decision.

The Veteran's service connection claim for prostate cancer is remanded due to the need for an environmental expert opinion regarding exposure to Agent Orange during his service in the Korean DMZ.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and evaluation due to inadequate examination in one case and a reduction of rating in another.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bronchitis, prostate cancer, and thyroid cancer were denied due to lack of new and material evidence.,For the claim of a rating in excess of 20 percent for patellofemoral syndrome, left knee, the criteria have not been met.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disability and prostate cancer, finding no in-service event or injury linking the conditions to the Veteran's service. The claim was also not based on presumptive exposure to herbicide agents.