Skin cancer decisions — 2004

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to inadequate examination and incomplete medical records.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer and squamous cell skin cancer as residuals of exposure to ionizing radiation, finding no reasonable possibility that the cancers were caused by such exposure.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by a disability related to his military service, specifically malignant melanoma, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has reopened the claims of service connection for skin disability, gastrointestinal disability, breast condition, and diabetes mellitus. However, it was determined that these conditions did not originate during or as a result of service and are not otherwise related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining personnel records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of the veteran's skin conditions.

The Board found that the cause of death, ischemic cardiomyopathy, was not caused or contributed to by any service-connected disability. The veteran's other conditions were attributed to various non-service-related factors.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for various conditions, including cataracts, heart disability, dermatological disorder, bronchitis and breathing problems, Peyronie's disease, and prostatitis. The appeals were based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents during military service.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and a dose assessment from the DTRA.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance under Chapter 35, finding that there was no evidence linking his fatal brain cancer to military service or any presumptive conditions.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bladder cancer and skin cancer, including as due to exposure to ionizing radiation in service, were denied. The RO found no evidence of the veteran being within ten miles of Hiroshima or Nagasaki during his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for skin melanoma, which he claimed as multiple myeloma due to exposure to Agent Orange. The evidence did not support a finding that his current condition was related to service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and squamous cell skin cancer are not service-connected. The evidence does not show these conditions were present during or within one year after service, nor is there any competent medical evidence linking them to service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to obtain records of possible toxin exposure during active duty service and to obtain medical opinions regarding whether such exposure caused or contributed to the veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verification of exposure to herbicides and pesticides in service, and a medical opinion on the relationship between the veteran's death and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, linking the current diagnosis to a verified in-service stressor. The skin condition claim is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or causation related to service or herbicide exposure.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional treatment records from a VA outpatient clinic in Ft. Myers, Florida.

The VA determined that the veteran's skin condition is not related to service or herbicide exposure, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for his service-connected melanoma, finding that the earliest effective date allowed by law is June 28, 1984.

The Board has received notification from the appellant that they wish to withdraw their appeal. As a result, the appeal is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims due to incomplete records and the need for additional medical opinions regarding his skin cancer.