Skin cancer
Across 723 real Board appeals for Skin cancer
68% were granted, partly granted, or remanded.
A denial is often not the end — remands are sent back for more development and frequently end in a grant.
- Granted 13%
- Partly granted 19%
- Remanded 36%
- Denied 26%
What tends to win
Among the appeals that were granted or partly granted, the most common ways Skin cancer was linked to service:
- Direct service connection137
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)48
- Secondary to another service-connected condition16
How it’s rated, in practice
When Skin cancer was granted, the rating most often assigned was:
- 100% (51)
- 10% (10)
- 0% (5)
- 30% (3)
- 70% (3)
Presumptive & exposure paths
These appeals involved a recognized exposure — which can mean the link to service is presumed, with no nexus to prove:
- Agent Orange / herbicides150
- PACT Act75
- Camp Lejeune water22
- Burn pits & airborne hazards19
- Gulf War12
Real decisions
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his lung cancer was related to his service-connected melanoma.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for skin cancer as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected liver disability, based on a positive nexus opinion from his treating physician and supporting medical evidence.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for melanoma of the right ear, finding that the evidence is in approximate balance and supports a nexus to Agent Orange exposure during service.
- Granted
The Board granted the restoration of a 100 percent evaluation for malignant melanoma of the skin, effective from May 15, 2025.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for basal cell carcinoma, melanoma, and obstructive sleep apnea based on toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) during the Veteran's service.
- Granted
The Board granted the restoration of a 100 percent disability rating for malignant melanoma, top of scalp effective March 1, 2022.
What you can do next
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.