The Board denied service connection for a bladder disability, to include bladder cancer, finding that the evidence did not support a relationship between the Veteran's current condition and his military service. The claim was remanded for further development regarding a cervical spine disability.
The deciding factor: The October 2023 VA nurse practitioner opinion concluded that the Veteran's bladder cancer was more likely than not caused by smoking history and alcohol use, rather than any in-service exposure to mercury or lead.
- Claimed conditions
- Bladder disability, to include bladder cancer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 27, 2024
- Citation
- 24004243
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a bladder disability, gynecological condition, right ankle disability, and lower back disability as these conditions are not related to an in-service injury, disease, or event.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal was denied for an earlier effective date prior to November 14, 2023, for the grant of a 70 percent rating for PTSD. The issues related to initial ratings and service connection were remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including a bladder disability, PTSD, and tinnitus, rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from September 6, 2016 to March 21, 2024.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a bladder disability, bilateral foot disability, erectile dysfunction, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and migraine headaches as they were not related to the Veteran's active duty or any service-connected disabilities.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.