Prostate cancer decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that the reduction of the Veteran's prostate cancer rating from 100% to 20% was proper and denied reinstatement of a higher rating. The Board also granted a 40% rating for residuals of prostate cancer, effective February 1, 2023.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer as there is no evidence of a causal relationship between his current condition and any in-service exposure, including to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune or herbicide agents like Agent Orange.

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction, finding that it is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected prostate cancer. The decision also acknowledges that the Veteran was not previously service connected for prostate cancer at the time of the initial rating decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's petitions to readjudicate his claims of service connection for thyroid carcinoma, bilateral hearing loss, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, and hypertension as no new and relevant evidence was presented.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for prostate cancer was dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his claim.,Service connection for PTSD was denied due to a lack of current diagnosis and credible supporting evidence of an in-service stressor.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and the Board finds it does not warrant a higher rating.,The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals are rated at 40 percent, and the Board finds it does not warrant a higher rating.,The Veteran's erectile dysfunction does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.,The claims of service connection for a low back disability and an increased disability rating for right knee strain have been remanded by the Board.,No specific effective date provided as this is an initial decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection related to DM, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, hypertension, and CAD have been granted under the PACT Act. The Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents in Guam.,Service connection has also been established for prostate cancer and Parkinson's Disease.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is rated at a maximum of 100 percent, effective from the date of the August 2023 Rating Decision.

The Veteran requested to withdraw their appeal for a disability rating in excess of 60 percent prior to January 9, 2024, for the service-connected prostate cancer. The Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Board has denied the Veteran's request for a permanent and total rating for his service-connected prostate cancer, as the criteria do not allow such a rating due to the possibility of improvement.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer as secondary to his service-connected chronic prostatitis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to conflicting evidence regarding exposure to tactical herbicide agents. The Board will conduct further development to determine the Veteran's service aboard ships and any potential exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected prostate cancer and residuals, effective March 1, 2021. The Board found that discontinuance of the 100 percent rating was proper by operation of law under Diagnostic Code 7528.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction were not incurred or aggravated during service. The Board denied these claims as the evidence did not show that any of these conditions manifested in service or within one year following separation.,Service connection was also denied for prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents and his prostate cancer. The case will be further developed, including a TERA examination.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus type II, sterility, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, and migraine have been remanded due to the need for further review of the evidence.,Claims for cervical strain, lumbar strain, right knee condition, left knee condition, right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy are also being remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate rationale for a negative opinion regarding service connection for prostate cancer, and the Veteran's representative requested another opinion from a different VA clinician.

The appeal is dismissed because the proposed reduction and discontinuance of SMC have not been implemented yet.

The Veteran was granted a total disability rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability due to service-connected arteriosclerotic heart disease, effective from January 28, 2014. Additionally, the Veteran's SMC at the housebound rate was also granted starting September 15, 2016.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have resulted in physical impairment requiring regular aid and attendance, which is granted for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance.