Prostate cancer Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability manifested by prostate cancer, bladder disorder, sinus disorder, or dry cough that can be causally linked to his military service. The claims are denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, prostate cancer residuals, and erectile dysfunction was denied as there is no current diagnosis of hearing loss in accordance with VA standards.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to January 26, 2007, for a compensable rating of his prostate disability was granted. The effective date is set at the date service connection was established on August 4, 2006.

The Veteran's residuals of prostate cancer are rated at 20 percent disabling. The Board has determined that the Veteran should be rated based on voiding dysfunction, as there is no local reoccurrence or metastasis. The VA examination revealed urinary frequency with daytime voiding interval between two and three hours and nocturia x 3 times per night, warranting a 10 percent disability rating.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial disability rating for prostate cancer with erectile dysfunction was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 60 percent, as there was no renal dysfunction to warrant such a rating. For TDIU, the Veteran met the schedular criteria but his service-connected disability did not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals, and all issues are dismissed.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor may it be presumed to have been so incurred. The Board found the evidence does not support a finding of herbicide exposure during service and thus denied service connection.

The Board has reopened the service connection claims for TMJ and left knee degenerative joint disease, but denied the remaining claims. The Veteran's prostate cancer claim is not supported by evidence of current disability.

The Board found that the appellant was not exposed to herbicides while serving aboard a ship in Vietnam, and thus could not establish service connection for chloracne or prostate cancer due to exposure to herbicides. The claim is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant.,The Veteran does not have any service-connected disabilities that would qualify him for these benefits.

The Veteran's initial noncompensable rating for status post prostate cancer prior to November 8, 2008 is granted. A rating in excess of 20 percent for the period from November 8, 2008 forward is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus, are presumed to have been incurred in service. Service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to prostate cancer is granted. Type II diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been incurred in service. Service connection for hypertensive nephropathy secondary to hypertension is also granted. The Veteran's microscopic hematuria will be reevaluated.

The Board finds that the Veteran's prostate cancer, which was diagnosed in November 2005, is related to his period of active service. The claim for service connection for prostate cancer is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher ratings and service connection due to incomplete or unclear evidence, including a need for VA examinations.

The Veteran's effective date for the award of dependent compensation for his wife is granted as April 2, 2009. This decision was based on a service-connected condition evaluated at a disability rating of 30 percent or more.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a prostate disorder, including prostate cancer, is being remanded due to the need for an examination by a urologist.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a videoconference hearing at the VA office in San Antonio, Texas. The issue of service connection for prostate cancer, including as due to ionizing radiation exposure, remains on appeal.

The Veteran's prostate cancer was not service-connected due to lack of presumed or actual exposure to herbicide agents, including dioxins, during his military service.

The Veteran's cause of death was not caused by any service-connected disability, nor were his underlying conditions (prostate cancer and renal carcinoma) found to be related to service.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that prostate cancer did not contribute substantially and materially to his death from metastatic melanoma.