Prostate cancer decisions — 2023

The Veteran's service connection for prostate cancer and its residuals is granted due to exposure to burn pits during his service in Iraq.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lung cancer in remission, prostate cancer (remission), tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, myocardial infarction, erectile dysfunction, and hypertension, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted the TDIU on a schedular basis.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted service connection due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents. The kidney disability is remanded for further examination and opinion.

Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II (DM) and prostate cancer is granted due to the PACT Act presumption of herbicide exposure. Service connection for erectile dysfunction (ED), secondary to service-connected prostate cancer, is also granted.,Service connection for right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is denied as there is no evidence of herbicide agent exposure.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining a substantially gainful occupation prior to October 1, 2020. From that date, he was awarded major depressive disorder which increased his combined rating to 100 percent based on multiple service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during his service, and a TERA opinion is needed to determine if prostate cancer is related to this exposure.

The Veteran's cause of death was due to metastatic neuroendocrine cancer, but the Board finds insufficient medical evidence to determine if his exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune caused this condition. The case is remanded for a VA medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and prostate cancer/residuals thereof due to exposure at Camp Lejeune, as new evidence was added to the file and additional examinations are needed.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary before the Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer can be adjudicated. The AOJ failed to provide the examiner's curriculum vitae, which constitutes a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is related to exposure to herbicide agents during his service in the Republic of Vietnam, and thus he is granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran was granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the aid and attendance level for his nonservice-connected left lower and upper extremities, as well as service-connected right upper and lower extremities. The appellant is also entitled to SMC based on two separate awards of SMC (l).

The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals are currently rated at 10 percent prior to December 24, 2020. The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration of his increased rating claim and TDIU claim.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for prostate cancer and diabetes due to herbicide agent exposure, as there was not substantial compliance with the June 2021 Board remand directives regarding verification of in-service exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection related to high cholesterol, visual disability, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, prostate cancer residuals, and ischemic heart disease have been granted under the PACT Act. The claim for bilateral shoulder disability remains pending.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss, service connection for prostate cancer, and service connection for degenerative disorder were all denied. The Board found no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his service-connected prostate cancer is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his service-connected prostate cancer is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his service-connected prostate cancer is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for prostate cancer was denied as there was no formal claim prior to October 27, 2021.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's prostate cancer is at least as likely as not caused by exposure to herbicide agents during service, specifically in proximity to or handling equipment used by soldiers who were exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam. Service connection for prostate cancer is granted.