Prostate cancer decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims for residuals of prostate cancer due to concerns about the severity and progression of the disability, particularly since the last VA examination in 2016. The Veteran's representative requested that a VA examiner review his private treatment records and provide an opinion on the current severity of his service-connected condition.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's eye disability, acquired psychiatric disability (including panic disorder without agoraphobia), prostate cancer, chronic autoimmune urticaria/angioedema, and hypothyroidism (claimed as thyroid cancer) due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,The Board also denied service connection for hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for a more contemporaneous examination of the Veteran's service-connected headache disability due to possible worsening symptoms. The TDIU issue is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the headaches claim.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer and a mental disorder, both of which the Veteran claimed were due to exposure to radiation during active service. The evidence did not support these claims.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's prostate cancer is not related to his service at Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands, and thus remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to non-compliance with previous instructions and a need for additional medical opinion regarding the Veteran's prostate cancer.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of prostate cancer, finding that there is no evidence linking his current condition to his active-duty service.

The Board has previously remanded the claim multiple times, but there was not substantial compliance with the previous directives. The Veteran's prostate cancer and residuals are now being remanded again due to lack of a complete rationale in the addendum opinion regarding whether it is secondary to his service-connected bladder cancer.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for prostate cancer residuals and erectile dysfunction secondary to the service-connected prostate residuals is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the severity of his conditions.

The Veteran's service connection for coronary artery disease is granted as secondary to herbicide agent exposure.,PTSD and depressive disorder are rated at 50 percent, with no further issues on appeal regarding this condition.,Bilateral hearing loss has a non-compensable rating.,Prostate cancer remains in remission; the Veteran's current symptoms do not warrant an increased rating.,Peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity (femoral nerve) is rated at 10 percent prior to January 4, 2017 and at 20 percent from that date onward.,Peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity (femoral nerve) remains at a 20 percent rating.,Peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity (sciatic nerve) is rated at 40 percent, with no further issues on appeal regarding this condition.,Peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity (sciatic nerve) is rated at 40 percent, with no further issues on appeal regarding this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various musculoskeletal disabilities, including prostate cancer and elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his claimed exposure to herbicide agents during active duty.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II, prostate cancer, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction are all granted as service connected due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his service at U-Tapao Royal Thai Air Force Base. The effective date is August 10, 2022, the day after the PACT Act was enacted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus type II, and hypertension due to potential exposure to herbicides during active duty training at Fort Chaffee in July and August 1975. The AOJ is instructed to obtain an addendum opinion from a VA toxicologist regarding residual dioxin exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to March 1, 2019.

The Veteran's prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, and urinary incontinence are all granted service connection due to exposure at Camp Lejeune. The Board found the evidence in equipoise as to whether these conditions were caused by exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding records and the need for nexus opinions regarding his psychiatric disorder, DM, renal disorder, prostate cancer, and ED. The claims are related to exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer as secondary to his service-connected low back disability and/or right ankle disability was denied. The claim for an earlier effective date for a 20 percent rating for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity sciatic nerve branch to include superficial peroneal and anterior tibial nerves was also denied. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected radiculopathy is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a temporary total rating under 38 C.F.R. § 4.30 for post-surgical convalescence following his prostate cancer surgery, finding no evidence of severe postoperative residuals.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the Veteran's prostate cancer residuals from 100% to 40% was improper and has restored the original rating. The claims for increased ratings for bilateral lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, femoral nerve (right and left) are remanded due to lack of recent VA examination. The claim for SMC based on housebound status is granted from April 7, 2016.

The Veteran's service connection claims for asbestosis, low back disability, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, prostate cancer, and lung nodules are all denied. The Veteran's service connection claim for a low back disability is granted.