The Veteran's unauthorized non-VA medical treatment for a VAD insertion due to prostate cancer was denied as it did not meet the criteria for emergency treatment and there were no VA facilities feasibly available.
The deciding factor: The condition was not an emergent one, and there were no VA facilities that could have provided the necessary care without delay being hazardous to life or health.
- Claimed conditions
- malignant neoplasm of the prostate
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 9, 2024
- Citation
- A24053902
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A24053902.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for a malignant neoplasm of the prostate as there is no evidence that it began during active service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for a temporary total rating for convalescence due to prostate cancer and TDIU have been dismissed as the Veteran is already receiving the maximum benefit allowed.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted a Level 2 stipend in the PCAFC program for the Veteran due to his need for continuous supervision, protection, or instruction as determined by the April 2023 VFAI evaluation.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's prostate cancer residuals, including voiding dysfunction requiring absorbent materials that had to be changed four times a day, meet the criteria for a 40 percent disability rating.
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