Prostate cancer decisions — 2025

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and a compensable rating for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, hypertension, scars status post radical prostatectomy, erectile dysfunction, and prostate cancer status post prostatectomy. The claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was dismissed.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for prostate cancer with perineural invasion and skin condition, to include dermatitis, due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board granted service connection for prostate cancer, acquired psychiatric condition (depression), and erectile dysfunction based on the Veteran's in-service exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection and special monthly compensation, as these were granted under the PACT Act on August 10, 2022.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy in the left, right lower extremity, and right upper extremity to verify the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board denied service connection for obesity, hypertension, deep vein thrombosis, peripheral neuropathy in both upper and lower extremities, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and prostate cancer. The evidence did not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The Veteran was not in receipt of a totally disabling service-connected disability for the required period, and therefore, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is denied.

The Board granted service connection for residuals of prostate cancer, finding a relationship to in-service exposure to hazardous materials.

The Board denied the surviving spouse's claim for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation because the Veteran was not rated totally disabled for the required periods under 38 U.S.C. § 1318, with a peak combined disability rating of 80 percent. The Board remanded three issues: entitlement to survivor's pension benefits, entitlement to TDIU based on a pending March 2020 Supplemental Claim, and entitlement to service connection for cause of death, requiring a new VA medical opinion addressing the interplay between the Veteran's ischemic heart disease, hypertension, COPD, and herbicide exposure under PACT Act provisions.

The Board remanded the Veteran's appeal of the effective date for service connection awards for prostate cancer and residuals, as well as initial disability ratings, to allow further development regarding potential presumptive exposure to herbicide agents via service aboard U.S.S. Southerland in Vietnamese territorial waters and to obtain a medical opinion regarding direct causation if presumptive exposure cannot be established. The case was complicated by service connection being granted under the PACT Act effective August 10, 2022, while the Veteran's claim was filed in December 2020.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer as the evidence does not support a finding that it was incurred in or related to service.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for coronary artery disease and prostate cancer, as there was no evidence that a claim or intent to file such claims were submitted prior to June 1, 2022.

The Board remands the appeal to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the potential service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, specifically focusing on the roles of PTSD and CAD in aggravating other conditions that contributed to his death.

The Board granted service connection for diabetes, hypertension, prostate cancer, and urinary incontinence NOS based on presumptive service connection due to exposure to herbicide agents during the Vietnam era.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer and an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, while remanding claims for a respiratory condition other than asbestosis and an increased rating for asbestosis.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for accrued benefits, as there was no evidence that a claim for prostate cancer or other conditions was pending at the time of the Veteran's death.

The Board granted an effective date of August 10, 2022, for the award of service connection for prostate cancer and related conditions.

The appeal for service connection for prostate cancer and coronary artery disease, claimed as heart disease, has been withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board granted an effective date of September 13, 2022, for the grant of service connection for prostate cancer.

The Board vacated its July 23, 2024 decision and granted an earlier effective date for the initial grant of service connection for erectile dysfunction to August 25, 2015. Other claims were denied or remanded.