The Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder, prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, and coronary artery disease have all been granted service connection. The Veteran also received an increased rating for his depressive disorder.
The deciding factor: The Veteran had 'boots on the ground' in Vietnam during his military service, which is considered presumptive exposure to herbicide agents. Therefore, his prostate cancer and coronary artery disease are presumed related to service due to herbicide exposure. His erectile dysfunction was also found to be secondary to his prostate cancer.
- Claimed conditions
- unspecified depressive disorder, prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, coronary artery disease
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19177897
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for prostate cancer, related to in-service exposures at Camp Lejeune.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction due to an inadequate VA opinion regarding its etiology.
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