Prostate cancer decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's herbicide exposure in Thailand. The RO is instructed to attempt to verify whether the Veteran was near the base perimeter during his service at Udorn.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for arteriosclerotic heart disease, deep vein thrombosis, and prostate cancer due to a lack of sufficient medical opinions addressing the Veteran's lay statements regarding his exposure to chemicals while serving as a pioneer. The VA examiner is requested to provide an opinion on whether these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a skin rash. Service connection for bladder cancer and prostate cancer is remanded due to inadequate reasoning in the previous medical opinions.

The Veteran withdrew his claim for service connection for prostate cancer before the Board could make a decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not impose the need for regular aid and attendance, thus his claim for special monthly compensation based on a need for regular aid and attendance of another person is denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is secondary to his service-connected disabilities, specifically prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, and herpes simplex.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date of November 22, 2013, for the grant of service connection for prostate cancer is granted. The Board also remanded two issues: entitlement to a compensable rating for anxiety disorder and service connection for melanoma of the skin.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient information regarding his exposure to herbicide agents and further examination is needed to determine if any of his conditions are related to in-service events.

The Board has denied DIC benefits due to the Veteran not meeting the criteria for a disability rated totally disabling for 10 or more years immediately preceding death. The cause of death is remanded as an addendum opinion from a clinician is needed regarding whether any service-connected disabilities contributed substantially or materially to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claim for hepatitis C has been reopened, but the issue remains remanded. The initial rating for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss is denied. An initial 40 percent rating for diabetes mellitus is granted. Service connection for prostate cancer residuals is granted at a 10 percent rating. Service connection for neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions due to insufficient development and lack of adequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals are rated at 20 percent prior to April 18, 2018 and at 30 percent effective from April 18, 2018.

The Veteran's prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction claims are remanded for further evaluation. The effective date of service connection for prostate cancer is denied, but the Veteran may be eligible for a higher rating based on his current symptoms.

The Board has remanded the claims for an initial rating in excess of 60 percent for prostate cancer and for an initial rating in excess of 40 percent for diabetes mellitus, type II due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to diabetes mellitus II and prostate cancer, both presumed related to herbicide exposure in Vietnam. The VA examiner found that neither condition caused or contributed substantially to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the need for further development regarding in-service herbicide exposure and the existence of certain disorders. The Veteran's service aboard ships within Vietnam is being reviewed, as are his claims for various disabilities.

The Board has determined that the issues of service connection for a heart condition, respiratory disability, diabetes mellitus, type II, left leg amputation, bilateral eye disability, kidney disease, and prostate cancer are inextricably intertwined with the issue of service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II. As such, these secondary claims must be remanded to allow for proper adjudication.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaption grant due to lack of loss of use of limbs, blindness, or inhalation injury.,The Veteran was not found in need of regular aid and attendance based on his service-connected disabilities as he had dementia which is not service connected.

The Board has denied service connection for back disability, prostate cancer, lung disability, and bilateral eye disability as the evidence does not support a link to service or exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the cause of death and whether service-connected disabilities contributed to it. The Veteran died from a brain tumor, but without known pathology of the brain mass, no definite determination can be made on whether the brain mass was related to military service or metastasized from his service-connected prostate cancer.