Prostate cancer decisions — 2023

The Board denied increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and residuals of prostate cancer, finding that the Veteran's conditions did not meet criteria for higher disability ratings.

The Veteran's effective date for the award of service connection for a scar on his abdomen, associated with prostate cancer, is July 28, 2009.,The Veteran's effective date for the award of service connection for candidiasis, associated with prostate cancer, is also July 28, 2009.

The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals are rated at 40 percent, effective June 22, 2015. The appeal for a higher rating prior to that date is denied.

The Veteran's prostate cancer and frequent urination claims are being remanded due to duty-to-assist errors. The AOJ must verify the Veteran's herbicide exposure, obtain an addendum VA medical opinion regarding his prostate cancer etiology, and readjudicate the secondary urination claim.

The Veteran's prostate cancer, left ear hearing loss, and polycystic kidney disease are not service-connected.,Compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for urinary incontinence (claimed as passing blood clots when urinating) is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for an adequate medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's cause of death was related to service, specifically exposure to herbicide agents. Additionally, a new medical opinion is needed to determine if the cause of death was proximately caused by VA care or negligence.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicide agents or a causal link between the conditions and active service.

The Veteran's prostate cancer status post brachytherapy with erectile dysfunction is granted as service-connected due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his active service in Vietnam.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim of service connection for prostate cancer was granted. The claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder including PTSD and a major depressive disorder, as well as for a chronic disability manifested by vertigo/dizziness, were remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error and obtain a VA examination for the claimed acquired psychiatric disorder.

Service connection is granted for prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction. Service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is remanded.

The Board has remanded the issue of whether a rating greater than 20 percent for residuals of prostate cancer is warranted from March 1, 2018. The Veteran was previously granted service connection and assigned a 100% rating for prostate cancer effective October 4, 2012. In December 2017, the VA discontinued the 100% rating and assigned a noncompensable rating effective March 1, 2018. The Veteran appealed this decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), low back disability, and sinusitis have been denied. The claim for chronic headaches is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to April 25, 2019, for a rating higher than 40 percent for prostate cancer residuals was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show actual recurrence of active malignancy or sufficient disability to warrant a higher rating. For TDIU, the Veteran's service-connected disabilities met the percentage requirements but were not deemed sufficient to preclude substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied service connection for respiratory disorder, GI disorder, CV disorder, and prostate cancer as the evidence did not support a finding of in-service exposure to herbicides or direct causation.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of September 17, 2008 for the award of service connection for prostate cancer as associated with exposure to herbicide agents based on newly received service records.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer as there was no direct or presumptive evidence linking the condition to military service, including exposure to herbicides.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection of a psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder with anxious distress due to unresolved issues regarding exposure and in-service events.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer as there was no direct or presumptive evidence linking the condition to military service, including exposure to herbicides.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and erectile dysfunction due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service or any service-connected disability.