Prostate cancer decisions — 2021

The Board dismissed all service connection claims due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer is remanded due to insufficient evidence verifying his exposure to Agent Orange aboard the USS Intrepid.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer, finding no evidence of a direct relationship to his military service and rejecting alternative theories based on in-service exposure to carcinogenic chemicals and solvents.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for an opinion on whether the Veteran's service-connected valvular heart disease with bradycardia caused or aggravated his erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer is granted, but the case is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding herbicide exposure at Clark Air Force Base.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for prostate cancer, bilateral cataracts, and hypothyroidism due to ionizing radiation exposure during service. An additional VA opinion is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer residuals, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his active or reserve service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer and PTSD, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since September 5, 2013.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer and bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of exposure to herbicides, including Agent Orange, which is required for presumptive service connection under VA law. The Veteran’s current prostate cancer was determined unrelated to his military service, and his current bilateral hearing loss disability does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus type II (DM) was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating as regulation of activities is not required to manage DM. For TDIU prior to February 12, 2013, the Veteran's service-connected disabilities were deemed insufficient to render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals, including voiding dysfunction requiring absorbent materials changed more than four times per day, are currently rated at 60 percent from March 9, 2020. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted as the evidence does not support an evaluation in excess of 60 percent for this period.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted service connection as new and material evidence was submitted to reopen the claim, and it is determined that his exposure to workplace solvents during active duty likely caused his condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer, finding that there was no current disability of prostate cancer at any point during or approximate to the pendency of his claim. The appeal is based on a direct-service-connection theory and not due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction as secondary to prostate cancer due to potential exposure within the territorial sea of Vietnam. Additional development is needed to determine if his service on USS BRISTER and USS PIEDMONT was within 12 nautical miles of the coast.

The Veteran's service connection claims for prostate cancer, type II diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are granted. The claim for glaucoma secondary to diabetes mellitus is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 is denied as his residuals of prostate cancer were not caused by VA carelessness, negligence, or similar fault.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient efforts in obtaining information about herbicide exposure from the Air Force Historical Research Agency and the Department of the Air Force. The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer as due to herbicide exposure is pending.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of ischemic heart disease, chronic kidney disease, type II diabetes mellitus, and prostate cancer as the appellant died during the appeal process.

The Veteran's appeal is dismissed due to his death, and the issue of restoring a 100% rating for prostate cancer and benign prostatic hypertrophy with lower urinary tract symptoms has become moot.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD and prostate cancer are granted. The Board found that the Veteran experienced an in-service stressor related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity, which supports a diagnosis of PTSD. Additionally, the Veteran was presumed exposed to herbicide agents (including Agent Orange) during his service in Vietnam, leading to presumptive service connection for prostate cancer.