Prostate cancer Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer was denied as there is no evidence of in-country service or exposure to herbicides during his active duty.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is not due to, or the result of, service or exposure to herbicide agents. The Board finds that there is no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and therefore denied DIC benefits.

The Board found that the Veteran's cause of death, small bowel obstruction, colon cancer with metastasis to the liver and lymph nodes, prostate cancer with metastasis bone, and diabetes type II, were not caused or contributed substantially or materially by his service-connected conditions. The VA examiner opined that the duodenal ulcer was unrelated to the cause of death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer, finding no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides and insufficient medical evidence linking his current condition to service.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings for his prostate cancer and Achilles tendon disabilities were denied. The initial rating for prostate cancer was found to be appropriate at 40 percent, effective the date of his claim. For the period beginning April 2, 2009, the rating for the Achilles tendon disability was also found to be appropriate at 20 percent.

The Veteran's residuals of prostate cancer, status post radiation treatment, were granted a 20 percent rating effective March 5, 2009. The claim for an increased rating remains denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lung cancer, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, and gastroesophageal reflux disease due to exposure to Agent Orange. The evidence did not establish in-country service in Vietnam or credible evidence of such service.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of prostate cancer, status post surgery, are currently rated at 40 percent disabling. The VA has granted a higher rating from March 5, 2007.

The RO properly discontinued the 100 percent rating for prostate cancer and assigned a 40 percent rating effective November 1, 2006.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and prostate cancer, finding that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and diabetes mellitus as secondary to herbicide exposure, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease resulting in these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that there was additional disability caused by a delay in treatment or a botched procedure.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for prostate cancer was denied. The issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) was also addressed, but the decision is unclear as it does not specify whether TDIU was granted or denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and providing a new VA examination to address the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss, tinnitus, heart disability, sleep apnea, prostate cancer, and skin cancer.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected, and he did not meet the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate notice regarding how to reopen a previously denied claim of service connection for prostate cancer for accrued benefits purposes.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and prostate cancer as due to exposure in the Republic of Vietnam are denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of the Veteran serving in-country in Vietnam, thus precluding a presumption of herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for prostate cancer is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration disability award records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities.