Prostate cancer Board decisions

The Veteran's residuals of prostate cancer meet the criteria for a 60 percent rating from February 1, 2008.

The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals have been rated at 40 percent since December 2, 2009. The VA examiner noted that the Veteran had voiding 5 or more times per night and no other urinary symptoms.

The Veteran's appeal was withdrawn, and the Board granted service connection for bilateral ankle strain. The right knee arthritis rating remains at 10 percent, prostate cancer is not service connected, and there are no effective dates provided.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, but had a current diagnosis of prostate cancer presumed due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities were rated at 100% and he had not been employed since 1979, making the grant of TDIU moot.

The Veteran's service connection for leukemia has been granted. His erectile dysfunction is rated as noncompensable, and his residuals of prostate cancer are currently rated at 40 percent.

The Veteran's service connection claim for prostate cancer has been granted with an effective date of January 14, 2008. The remaining issues regarding ratings and effective dates are addressed in the REMAND portion.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for residuals of prostate cancer and did not address his TDIU claim as it was raised by inference.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a hearing before a Decision Review Officer (DRO) and a Veterans Law Judge (VLJ).

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for earlier effective date for service connection for prostate cancer, restoration of a 100 percent disability rating for prostate cancer, and reopening of service connection for Graves' disease and hypertension. The decision also denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has granted the appellant's request for TDIU, finding that his service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation. The appellant's tinnitus is rated at its maximum under the applicable schedular criteria, while his prostate cancer residuals are also fully contemplated by the schedular rating criteria.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been denied as there is no evidence of a direct relationship to his military service or any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to a procedural issue regarding the reimbursement of CRDP withholdings from July to September 2014. The Board will provide an opportunity for the Veteran to file a Substantive Appeal and address this issue.

The Veteran's service connection claim for ischemic heart disease is granted as it is presumed due to herbicide exposure. The claims for higher evaluations of prostate cancer and PTSD are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including scheduling an examination and obtaining medical records. The case will be returned to the Board after these actions are completed.

The Veteran's prostate cancer claim is being remanded due to the need for further verification of his claimed herbicide exposure in Thailand. The Board will attempt to obtain additional information from the Joint Services Records Research Center (JSRRC) and other relevant sources.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development to verify his exposure to herbicides in Thailand and to obtain additional medical records, including those from his hospitalization in Thailand following a car accident. The claims will be reconsidered based on this new evidence.

The Veteran's death was caused by his pre-existing conditions, not service-connected disabilities. The termination of the appellant's death pension benefits is proper due to her increased income.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus are not related to his active service, including exposure to herbicides. As such, these claims have been denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to February 23, 2011 for service connection of prostate cancer and metastatic bone cancer are denied as they were not received until after the December 2007 rating decision denying service connection.