Prostate cancer decisions — 2026

The Veteran's initial 40 percent rating for hypertensive chronic kidney disease is granted, effective December 1, 2025. A TDIU is also granted.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim is denied as he does not have a current disability.,The Veteran's prostate cancer claim is denied due to lack of exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune and insufficient evidence linking his condition to service.,The Veteran's left ankle disability claim is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding pre-existing versus in-service aggravation.,The Veteran's lower back disability claim is remanded for a VA examination and medical opinion on the relationship between his current condition and service.,The Veteran's depression claim is remanded for a VA examination and medical opinion on the relationship between his current condition and service.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim is remanded for a new VA examination to determine if he has hearing loss and whether it is related to service.,The Veteran's type 2 diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea, and nontoxic goiter claims are remanded for further examination and opinion regarding their relationship to his left ankle injury.,The Veteran's sleep apnea claim is remanded for a VA examination and medical opinion on the relationship between his current condition and service.,The Veteran's nontoxic goiter claim is remanded for a VA examination and medical opinion on the relationship between his current condition and service.

The Board has decided to remand the issues of service connection for various cancers and related conditions due to errors in obtaining relevant medical records and inadequate opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have caused him to need regular aid and attendance, leading to a grant of SMC based on the need for aid and attendance. The issue of entitlement to SMC at the housebound rate is dismissed as moot.

The Board granted an effective date of October 25, 2018, for the grant of service connection for bilateral lower extremity cellulitis secondary to service-connected DM. The Veteran also received a 30 percent rating for this condition as of October 11, 2022.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for erectile dysfunction and tinnitus have been denied. The claim pertaining to the propriety of the rating assigned for his prostate cancer is remanded due to incomplete records.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to provide an adequate VA examination for prostate cancer, which could affect the rating assigned.

The Veteran's combined disability rating is 100%, and he is already receiving Special Monthly Compensation (S-1) on account of his service-connected disabilities. Therefore, the claim for TDIU is dismissed as moot.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in pre-decisional duty to assist and other statutory and regulatory duties. The appellant is not provided with proper notice for a cause of death claim, and further development is needed regarding herbicide agent exposure and radiation exposure during service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for kidney removal and prostate cancer due to potential exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Panama. The VA will need to gather additional medical records, verify the Veteran's lay reports of exposure, and provide a retrospective medical opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer, finding that there was no evidence of in-service exposure to ionizing radiation or chemicals and noting that the condition did not manifest within one year of separation from service.

The Board has identified pre-decisional duty to assist errors and remands the case for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee condition and prostate cancer due to insufficient evidence in their favor, particularly regarding the etiology of his conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of prostate cancer is granted, with the effective date set at April 4, 2019. The decision is based on the presumption of herbicide agent exposure due to service at U-Tapao Royal Thai Air Force Base.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, and squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinus as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicide agents or a causal relationship between these conditions and service.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for prostate cancer and a headache disability due to exposure to burn pits during military service. The Veteran's prostate cancer is currently rated at 100 percent, but his headaches are being evaluated further as they may be related to toxic exposure.

The Veteran's death was caused by bilateral bacterial pneumonia, dysphagia, and Alzheimer's dementia. The VA examiner concluded that the service-connected conditions did not cause or contribute to his death. However, an additional medical opinion is required regarding whether hypertension, CAD, and/or other service-connected conditions contributed to his death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions, including prostate cancer, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, type II, diabetic nephropathy and end stage renal disease with dialysis, diabetic peripheral neuropathies of various extremities, erectile dysfunction, lumbar spine strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome, and bilateral knee replacements, do not meet the criteria for service connection based on direct evidence or presumptive exposure to herbicide agents. The Board also found that there was no qualifying exposure to toxic environmental exposures during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation since March 27, 2018.,Prior to March 27, 2018, the evidence of record did not persuasively weigh in favor of finding that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone precluded him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete evidence, specifically VA treatment records from 'SAMMC'. The Veteran is also required to undergo a secondary service connection opinion regarding his sleep deprivation claim.