Prostate cancer Board decisions

The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals are restored to a 100% rating effective December 1, 2013. The reduction from 100% to 20% was not warranted as the evidence did not reflect improvement in his service-connected condition.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for prostate cancer and granted it. The Board also found that the Veteran had in-country service in Vietnam, which establishes exposure to herbicides, and thus grants service connection for coronary artery disease as a presumptively linked condition.

The Board finds that the discontinuance of the 100 percent evaluation for prostate cancer residuals effective January 1, 2011 was proper as there is no evidence of active malignancy or recurrence after this date.

The Board found that the Veteran's prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus, type II, were not incurred or aggravated in service. The evidence did not support a finding of exposure to herbicides during his service in Thailand.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran was not granted a separate evaluation for tinnitus or a left calf scar, nor did he receive an effective date prior to August 3, 2009.

The Veteran's appeal of service connection for hypertension was withdrawn, and the reduction in rating from 100 percent to 40 percent for prostate cancer was granted.,Prostate cancer residuals have been rated at 40 percent since September 1, 2009.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is presumed to have been incurred in service due to herbicide exposure. His bladder condition is proximately due to his prostate cancer.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating greater than 30 percent for PTSD was denied. The Board found that the Veteran's PTSD primarily manifested by depressed mood, anxiety, panic attacks (weekly or less often), and chronic sleep impairment; it did not more nearly approximate occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is presumed to have been the result of herbicide exposure during his active service. The Board finds that the Veteran served near the perimeters of the Royal Thai Air Force base at Nakh Phanom in Thailand and is therefore presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange.

The Board will review the claims for service connection for cause of death and DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 based on all available evidence, including new medical records from the Danville VA Medical Center.

The Board has granted service connection for multiple basal cell carcinomas of the right anterior neck, left lower mid-back and left upper chest as related to ionizing radiation exposure during service. Service connection for prostate cancer and residuals thereof is denied.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is presumed to have been incurred in service due to exposure to herbicides during his service in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected condition, and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure. The cause of death was mesothelioma, which the appellant claims may be related to his prior prostate cancer.

The Veteran's appeal for the reduction of disability rating from 100 percent to 60 percent for service-connected prostate cancer was dismissed as he withdrew his appeal.,The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating for bilateral hearing loss rated at 40% was also dismissed as he withdrew his appeal.,Evidence submitted since the May 2006 denial of service connection for a skin disorder is new and material, reopening this claim. The issue remains pending for further review by the RO/AMC.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was not found to be caused by VA care, and the Board denied compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for prostate cancer.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection have been denied. The decision does not specify a rating assigned or effective date.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for prostate cancer and Parkinson's disease, both claimed as due to herbicide exposure, have been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have cancer of the immune system, residuals of prostate cancer, or renal insufficiency at any time since filing his claim for compensation. The claims are therefore denied.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, prostate cancer, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his VA treatment records.