Prostate Cancer VA Disability Rating and Compensation

CCK Law: Our Vital Role in Veterans Law

Many veterans suffer from prostate cancer due to their time in military service. VA offers service-connected compensation to these veterans based on active cancer or the presence and severity of the cancer residuals.

What Is Prostate Cancer?

Cancer occurs when cells in the body grow out of control. Prostate cancer occurs when the cells grow out of control in the prostate gland specifically. The prostate gland is below the bladder and behind the seminal vesicles, which make most of the fluid for semen. The prostate also “makes some of the fluid that is part of semen.”

Nearly all forms of prostate cancer are adenocarcinomas. Adenocarcinomas can develop from gland cells. There are multiple types of other cancers that may start in the prostate, however, including small cell carcinomas, neuroendocrine tumors, transitional cell carcinomas, and sarcomas. Often, prostate cancer grows slowly, but some forms may grow quickly and spread.

Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

• Difficulty urinating, specifically increased urge to urinate or weak urinary stream
• Bloody urine or semen
• Erectile dysfunction
• Hip, back, or chest pain
• Weakness or numbness
• Loss of bladder or bowel control

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Diagnosing and Treating Prostate Cancer

Certain factors could make a person more susceptible to developing prostate cancer. These factors can include age, ethnicity, geography, family history, or genetic changes. Other risk factors can include exposure to certain chemicals and toxic substances, like Agent Orange.

Prostate cancer can usually be found through screening. Early prostate cancer usually does not cause symptoms, so screening can be crucial for detection.

Tests to detect and diagnose prostate cancer can include:

• Physical examination
• PSA blood test
• Prostate biopsy
• Imaging tests
• Genetic testing
• Transrectal ultrasound
• MRI
• PET scan
• Bone scan
• CT scan

Treatments may vary depending on the severity of the cancer, as well as the age and overall health of the individual. These treatment methods could include:

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Cryotherapy
• Hormone Therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Immunotherapy
• Targeted therapy

How Do I Prove Service Connection for Prostate Cancer?

There are several methods by which a veteran can prove service connection for prostate cancer, including directly, secondarily, or presumptively.

Direct Service Connection for Prostate Cancer

Direct service connection is when a veteran can prove that their military service either directly caused or worsened their disability. To establish this kind of service connection, veterans usually have to present three key pieces of evidence to VA:

• A medical diagnosis of prostate cancer;
• An in-service illness, exposure, or other event that may have caused the prostate cancer; and
• A medical nexus opinion linking the diagnosis to the in-service event.

Secondary Service Connection for Prostate Cancer

Secondary service connection is when a veteran’s prostate cancer was caused by a separate, already service-connected disability. For example:

• Say a veteran suffered a lower back injury during their service, one that goes on to cause them chronic back pain. VA recognizes that the veteran’s back condition is service connected and compensates them for it accordingly.
• Eventually, the veteran’s back condition worsens to the point that movement becomes painful. As a result, the veteran mostly remains sedentary, and as time passes, they gain weight and become obese.
• After years of obesity, the veteran’s physician discovers that the veteran has developed prostate cancer, and postulates that the veteran’s obesity is the cause.
• In this situation, the veteran may be able to pursue a disability rating for prostate cancer secondary to lower back pain. This is because the veteran’s lower back pain was the root cause for their obesity, which went on to cause them to develop prostate cancer.
• If the veteran’s secondary claim is successful, they could earn a VA rating for prostate cancer, as well as accompanying compensation.

Presumptive Service Connection for Prostate Cancer

Presumptive conditions are those which VA may automatically assume were caused by a veteran’s service, depending on where and when they served. This can remove the need for the veteran to provide a medical nexus opinion for their disability, potentially making the claims process much simpler.

Fortunately, VA does have presumptions in place for prostate cancer, so long as veterans served in qualifying times and places. For instance, veterans who were exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange and later went on to develop prostate cancer may be able to earn presumptive service connection for their condition.

Additionally, under the PACT Act, VA added prostate cancer presumptions for veterans of the Gulf War or post-9/11 operations in the Middle East, since many of them were exposed to toxins released by military burn pits.

How Does VA Rate Prostate Cancer?

Upon establishing service connection, VA rates prostate cancer depending on if it is active. If the cancer is active, VA should automatically assign a 100% disability rating. If the cancer goes into remission, VA will evaluate each residual of the cancer and rate them based on the severity.

These are some common residuals of prostate cancer and their ratings.

• Frequent urination. The rating criteria for urinary frequency range from 10 to 40 percent disabling, depending on the amount of time between voiding. The 10% rating requires “daytime voiding interval between two and three hours, or; awakening to void two times per night.” To qualify for the 40% rating, there must be “daytime voiding interval less than one hour, or; awakening to void five or more times per night.”
• Urinary Incontinence. Urinary incontinence is rated under Voiding Dysfunction and includes ratings from 20% to 60% disabling. The ratings are dependent on how often a veteran needs their absorbent materials changed due to their incontinence. Absorbent materials include adult diapers or pads, and to be eligible or the 60% rating, absorbent materials must be changed four or more times per day.
• Erectile Dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction is a common residual of prostate cancer. VA will only grant 0% for erectile dysfunction unless there is a deformity with loss of erectile power. However, a grant of service connection for erectile dysfunction deems a veteran eligible for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) for the loss of use of a creative organ. As of 2026, SMC (k) amounts to $139.87 a month.

These are just a few common residuals, and some veterans may experience additional residuals. Presence and severity vary from person to person.

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Denied VA Disability Benefits for Prostate Cancer?

VA disability claims for prostate cancer, specifically stemming from exposure to military burn pits, may be denied by VA because there is no presumption of exposure. However, if your claim for prostate cancer was denied, you still have options for appealing the decision.

The accredited VA disability attorneys at CCK may be able to help you secure VA disability benefits for your prostate cancer. Contact our office today for a free case evaluation at (800) 544-9144 with a member of our team.