Prostate cancer decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient verification of herbicide exposure in Okinawa, Japan. The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer is pending and will be reconsidered with this new information.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and TDIU prior to January 12, 2017. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a total rating based on individual unemployability prior to that date.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the Veteran's prostate cancer and its connection to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The Veteran contends that his prostate cancer is related to this exposure, but a VA examiner found it less likely than not caused by CLCW/TCE/PCE exposure.

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

The Veteran's prostate cancer is rated based on residuals as voiding dysfunction or renal dysfunction, whichever is predominant. The Veteran has a recurrence of active prostate cancer since April 11, 2019.,The Veteran’s hypertension was found to be less likely than not related to his military service due to the single abnormal blood pressure reading in his service records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, coronary Artery Disease (CAD), and prostate cancer due to presumed herbicide agent exposure have been granted.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of additional compensation for his dependent spouse D.W. was denied because he did not provide proof of dependency within one year of being notified of qualifying rating actions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and prostate cancer due to exposure to Agent Orange during active service in Korea. The case requires further investigation into the proximity of the Veteran's duty locations (Camp Santa Barbara, Camp Howze, Camp Casey, and Camp Kaiser) to the Korean DMZ and the distance from these camps to demarcation signs.

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

The Veteran's service-connected prostate cancer does not render him so helpless as to need the regular aid and attendance of another person, nor is he permanently bedridden. Therefore, his claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance or housebound status is denied.

The Board has determined that new evidence was submitted within a year of the January 2018 rating decision, making it new and material. The Veteran's representative contends that his sleep apnea is due to weight gain caused by service-connected conditions. Therefore, the case is being remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has granted a 60% rating for prostate cancer residuals from February 1, 2015. The reduction in the disability rating was proper as there is no evidence of local recurrence or metastasis after treatment.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability, prostate cancer, headaches, and gastrointestinal disability. The remand includes obtaining new opinions from VA examiners regarding these claims.

The appeal for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for prostate cancer residuals from March 19, 2014 to July 14, 2015 is denied.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted as service connected due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for back condition, migraine headaches, and prostate cancer have been denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his active duty service.,The Veteran's hearing loss has not met the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board denied service connection for thyroid cancer, prostate cancer, and skin cancer due to radiation exposure during service as there was no evidence of in-service onset or a link between the conditions and the alleged exposure.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted as presumptively related to his service in the territorial waters of Vietnam, where he was exposed to herbicides.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and thus denied his claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted as service connected due to exposure to herbicide agents at U-Tapao Royal Thai Air Force Base during his active duty.