Skin cancer decisions — 2006

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary due to the veteran's claims for service connection for granuloma fasciale, Grover's disease, and skin cancer. The case is REMANDED for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board finds that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability. The cause of death, melanoma, bacteremia, and renal failure, were not present during his active military duty or until many years after he separated from service.

The Board denied service connection for depression, anxiety, anger, soft tissue sarcoma, and skin cancer as there is no competent medical evidence showing the veteran has any of these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, skin cancer as a result of herbicide exposure, and COPD. The evidence did not support these claims.

The veteran's claims of service connection for asthma, skin cancer, and urinary disorder were denied as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service or any exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected diabetes did not play a significant role in causing his death from metastatic melanoma. The cause of death was attributed to metastatic melanoma, which was listed as due to (or as a consequence of) diabetes on an amended death certificate.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development due to the lack of proper notification regarding a change in representation.

The Board has dismissed the appeal because a timely Substantive Appeal was not filed within the required timeframe.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have any service-connected conditions, and thus denied all claims for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for a neck and shoulder disorder and skin cancer of the left ear, finding no evidence to support these claims.

The veteran's non-malignant thyroid nodular disease, malignant melanoma of the left eye, and bilateral posterior subcapsular cataracts were not incurred in or aggravated by military service, nor may they be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Board has determined that the veteran's skin cancer and myopathy are service-connected under direct service connection, as they were not reasonably foreseeable consequences of prescribed medications.

The VA determined that there were no compensable scars from the veteran's melanoma of the back, as his scars are superficial and stable with no associated pain or disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further action, including obtaining a dose estimate from DTRA and requesting an opinion on whether the veteran's skin cancer resulted from exposure to ionizing radiation during active service.

The Board found that the veteran's death was due to metastatic melanoma, which had no direct link to service or a service-connected condition. Therefore, the claim for service connection for the cause of death and DIC benefits were denied.

The veteran's appeals for service connection for COPD and skin cancer, as well as an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for PTSD, were dismissed due to the veteran withdrawing his appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cause of death, metastatic melanoma, is attributable to his service in Vietnam. The Board finds that this condition was incurred as a result of his active military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's melanoma is a result of radiation exposure during service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a dental disability and denied his claim for skin cancer, which he claimed was due to sun exposure. The decision also noted that the veteran is seeking outpatient dental treatment but this issue has been referred to the RO.

The VA determined that the veteran's skin cancer was not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor may it be presumed to have been incurred in active service.