Prostate cancer decisions — 2024

The Board has dismissed the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, and a skin disability, to include chloracne due to lack of date on the SOC cover page and the Veteran's statement that he did not receive it.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's prostate cancer is etiologically related to his exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The appeal is dismissed due to the appellant's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's initial rating for prostate cancer residuals was granted at a 40% level from January 1, 2016 onwards. Prior to that date, the Veteran did not require any additional treatment or support.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of depressive disorder associated with prostate cancer was denied as the criteria were not met or approximated.

Your service connection for prostate cancer has been granted in a recent rating decision. The appeal is dismissed as there are no longer any unresolved issues.

The Veteran's TDIU was denied an earlier effective date, as the Board found that the earliest relevant period for consideration of a TDIU is October 1, 2021.,SMC based on housebound status was also denied an earlier effective date, as there were no additional service-connected disabilities rated at least 60% prior to January 31, 2023.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the rating for prostate cancer from 100% to noncompensable, effective March 1, 2023, was proper. The discontinuance of special monthly compensation (SMC) housebound due to one service-connected disability being rated 100% and additional service-connected disabilities independently ratable at 60% or more, effective March 1, 2023, was also deemed proper.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but denied service connection for hypertension and prostate cancer. Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service noise exposure. Hypertension is not shown to be related to service or a year after separation. Prostate cancer is not currently diagnosed.

The Veteran's service connection for prostate cancer is granted under the PACT Act, effective August 10, 2022. The issues of increased rating and TDIU are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal to change the effective date of his service connection for prostate cancer is dismissed because it was not filed within one year after the December 2019 rating decision.

The Veteran's service connection claims for prostate cancer, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, and postsurgical hypothyroidism with left partial thyroidectomy are remanded due to the need for additional evidence regarding herbicide exposure in Panama.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is denied as not related to service, and there is no evidence of a presumptive relationship due to exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to a lack of VA examination and medical opinion, as well as incomplete evidence in the record.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for unspecified neurocognitive disorder and Alzheimer's (claimed as an acquired psychiatric disorder) is remanded due to a duty to assist error in obtaining relevant medical opinions.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for prostate cancer from June 1, 2016, is remanded due to a duty to assist error in obtaining private treatment records and scheduling an examination.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of October 6, 2023, but no earlier, for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance is remanded.

The Veteran's surviving spouse is requesting special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance due to her husband's service-connected schizophrenia. The case must be remanded for a retrospective medical opinion regarding the aggravation of prostate cancer by schizophrenia.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for prostate cancer and hypertension ratings as the appellant withdrew her appeal prior to a decision.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was rated at 60% effective August 23, 2019. The Board found no increase in severity of the condition within one year prior to this rating decision.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is found to be caused by exposure to chemical toxins in service, specifically PFAS from aqueous film forming foam. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's service connection claims for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus are granted as they are presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during his time in the Republic of Vietnam.