Prostate cancer decisions — 2021

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of December 20, 2010 for the award of service connection for cause of death due to prostate cancer. However, reopening of the DIC benefits claim under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation of his service-connected prostate cancer was dismissed as he expressed satisfaction with the partial allowance and requested to withdraw all remaining issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of his prostate cancer and other conditions. The issues include service connection for various disabilities, including prostate cancer, hypertrophy of the breast, high blood pressure, residuals from paralysis of the fourth cranial nerve, HIV, heart disability, sleep disorder, arthritis, and bone and cartilage disability.

The Board has found that the Veteran's Alzheimer’s disease is not related to service and denied his claim.,The Board also found no evidence of bilateral hearing loss due to in-service noise exposure and denied his claim for this condition.,For the remaining conditions, including bilateral upper and lower diabetic neuropathy, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, psoriasis, kidney condition, coronary artery disease, Bell's Palsy, and prostate cancer, additional development is required as no medical nexus opinions have been provided.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for chemical poisoning, anxiety and PTSD, heart attack and a heart stent, hypertension, prostate cancer, low back injury with posttraumatic degenerative changes, left lower extremity radiculopathy, irritant dermatitis, gout in the right foot, and left shoulder acromioclavicular separation status post-operative. The Veteran is not service-connected for any of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer, lung cancer, and bladder cancer as due to herbicide agent exposure during the Veteran's active duty in Vietnam. Service connection was denied for hypertension, left sciatic nerve disorder, and heart disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer, finding that the Veteran's exposure to herbicides during his active service at Takhli RTAFB in Thailand is presumed and he meets the criteria for a 10% rating.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted as service connected due to exposure to ionizing radiation during his military service, with the Board finding direct causation based on medical opinions and the Veteran's history of exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer due to in-service herbicide exposure, as the Veteran was exposed on a facts-found basis and prostate cancer is one of the diseases covered by the presumptive service connection provision.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer and bilateral hearing loss as there was no evidence of current disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to service-connected prostatitis. However, the claim for service connection for prostate cancer is remanded due to internal inconsistency in examination reports and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's prostate cancer is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's death was not caused by his service-connected disabilities, but the Board has remanded for further clarification on whether diabetes contributed to his death.

The Veteran's COPD and Prostate Cancer have been found to be related to service, but the Board has not yet determined whether these conditions meet the criteria for a TDIU based on their combined effects. The appeal is being remanded to allow for further development.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is rated at 40 percent, and the Board found no evidence to warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran's digestive disorder, including Barrett's esophagus and GERD, is not service-connected. The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals are granted a 40 percent rating since May 1, 2017.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including a new VA examination to assess the Veteran's prostate cancer residuals and vertigo disorder. The issues of whether the reduction was proper and whether a higher rating is warranted are also being addressed.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and there were no exceptional factors from the service-connected disabilities that precluded him from obtaining and maintaining such employment.

The Veteran's service connection claim for prostate cancer, which he claims is related to his in-service exposure to Agent Orange, has been granted. The Board found that the Veteran served within 12 nautical miles of Vietnam and thus had presumptive exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including a sleep disability and hearing loss. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions based on exposure to herbicide agents during service.