Prostate cancer decisions — 2022

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings in excess of 40 percent for prostate cancer and bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's prostate cancer contributed substantially or materially to his death, as well as if it was a principal cause of death. The VA will attempt to obtain relevant medical records and provide a new medical opinion.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is rated at a 20 percent level, which covers voiding dysfunction. The decision grants this rating.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to his service-connected inactive pulmonary tuberculosis. The claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 was denied as the Veteran did not meet the criteria for receiving compensation at a 100% rate.

The Veteran's service connection claim for prostate cancer is granted due to presumed exposure to herbicides during his service in Korea.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including polyneuropathy of the upper and lower extremities and prostate cancer, attributing these to presumed exposure to toxic chemicals at Camp Lejeune. The evidence did not support a direct link between the Veteran's service and his current conditions.

The Board dismissed the appeals for various conditions due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has denied service connection for a gastrointestinal disability, and remanded the spine, prostate, and headache claims due to insufficient evidence linking these conditions to active service.

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

The Veteran's hypertension requires medication for continuous control and warrants a 10 percent rating. The Board has granted a higher 10 percent rating, but remanded due to worsening symptoms. Service connection claims are also remanded for VA opinions on the etiologies of back disability, neck disability, hearing loss, sleep apnea, prostate cancer, and PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for low back, right knee disability, prostate cancer, left knee scar, and residuals of right ring finger fracture due to new evidence received. The TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted service connection due to presumed exposure in Thailand. The Board has also remanded for further examination regarding scarring of the stomach and a temporary total rating.

The Board has determined that there is not substantial compliance with prior remand directives and additional development is needed to determine the Veteran's exposure to ionizing radiation during service, as well as whether his cancers are related to such exposure. The claims for service connection for prostate cancer, colon cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, and skin cancer are being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for prostate cancer service connection is remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records.

The Board granted service connection for a rash of the bilateral lower extremities and denied service connection for prostate cancer. The Veteran's rash was found to be related to his in-service service, while his prostate cancer is not considered related to any event or illness during service.

The Veteran's prostate cancer disability is currently rated at 60 percent since January 1, 2019. The Board has ordered a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran meets criteria for higher ratings due to renal dysfunction.

The Veteran's claims for prostate cancer, low back disorder, and hypertension have been remanded due to insufficient evidence. The Board will seek additional information regarding potential exposure to herbicides and other toxic chemicals during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer, finding that it was not incurred in or related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease and prostate cancer due to herbicide agent exposure are granted. The conditions are presumed based on the Veteran's proximity to the DMZ during active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during service and no continuity of symptomatology post-service. The Veteran's prostate cancer was not shown to be related to his military service.