Prostate cancer Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran had prostate cancer, which is presumed to be due to his in-service herbicide exposure. As a result, service connection for prostate cancer is granted.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease and prostate cancer are granted as they are presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's claims for prostate cancer residuals, diabetes mellitus, type II, and skin cancer are all granted. The claim for erectile dysfunction is also granted as secondary to the service-connected prostate cancer.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, finding that metastatic prostate cancer was the primary cause and there was no evidence linking it to service. The appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's death was caused by metastatic adrenal oncocytoma, but his prostate cancer is considered a primary cancer that contributed substantially to the cause of death. Given the Veteran's service in Vietnam and the presumption of herbicide exposure, the Board grants service connection for the cause of death as a result of exposure to herbicides.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of medical evidence and potential exposure to cancer causing materials during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for restoration of a 100 percent rating for prostate cancer, finding that the reduction from 100 to 40 percent was proper based on evidence showing no recurrence of cancer and improvement in functioning.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is presumed to be due to herbicide exposure during his service in Thailand, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions and development of records. The issues include bilateral foot disorder, psychiatric disorder, neurological disorders of the lower extremities, GERD, low back disorder, bilateral eye disorder, prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, skin disorder, and right knee disorder.

The Veteran's claims for prostate cancer and Type II diabetes have been granted. The claim for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is remanded due to the lack of a current diagnosis.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is being remanded for further development, including obtaining a dose estimate of his in-service radiation exposure and forwarding all records to the Under Secretary for Health.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for lower right leg, upper right leg, and right inguinal hernia repair residuals disorders. The appeal is remanded to determine the etiology of his back disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to an in-service event, injury, or disease.,Service connection for bladder cancer is also denied due to the lack of any documented onset during active duty and insufficient medical evidence linking it to service.,The Veteran's claim for erectile dysfunction secondary to prostate cancer is remanded as there is no objective evidence of a current deformity of the penis that would warrant a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 7522.,Service connection for prostate cancer, status post radical retropubic prostatectomy, remains denied with an initial noncompensable rating and no effective date provided.

The Veteran's service connection claim for pneumonia is denied. An increased rating of 20 percent, but no higher, for residuals of prostate cancer from April 1, 2013, is granted. The right ankle disability and bilateral hearing loss claims are remanded. Tinnitus service connection claim is also remanded. A total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) is remanded.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the Veteran's disability rating for prostate cancer residuals from 60 percent to 40 percent, effective November 14, 2011, was proper as there is no evidence showing incontinence requiring an appliance or absorbent materials changed more than four times per day.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and prostate cancer residuals were dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's service records show he served as a navigator in Thailand, but there is no specific reference to the U-Tapao base. The Board finds that additional verification of his time in Thailand is needed.

The Veteran's initial 40 percent rating for prostate cancer is granted. The respiratory disability claim is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding its etiology.

The Veteran's appeals for higher evaluations for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus, type 2 have been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction, and as such, the matter is being remanded to issue a Statement of the Case.