Skin cancer decisions — 2007

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable disability rating for right ear hearing loss, service connection for arthritis of bilateral lower extremities, and service connection for basal cell carcinoma (skin cancer). The issue of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the service connection claim for glaucoma is addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision. The veteran's entitlement to TDIU will be deferred until resolution of the new and material evidence claim for glaucoma.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer, finding that it was not incurred or aggravated by service and could not be presumed due to radiation exposure. The evidence did not support a finding of radiation exposure during service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for malignant melanoma due to claimed exposure of Agent Orange, finding no evidence linking the condition to his military service or presumed Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has denied the veteran's service connection claims for skin disability (claimed as skin cancer) and disability of the feet (claimed as jungle rot), finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to service, including any herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral foot fungus, keratosis, or skin cancer as a result of his active service in the United States Navy.,Service connection for these conditions is denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and skin cancer of the face and lipoma of the arm were denied. The Board found no evidence of current disabilities or a link to service, including exposure to herbicides.

The veteran is seeking service connection for various health conditions, including migraine headaches, lung disease, heart disease, bladder cancer, and skin cancer. The appeal will be remanded to obtain additional information about the veteran's exposure during his military service in India.

The Board has determined that the RO's adjudication of the veteran's claim is correct, and the case is being remanded for further development.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer as due to radiation exposure, finding that there was no competent medical evidence linking the condition to his military service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and skin cancer residuals is being remanded due to the need for further development, including verification of stressors and exposure history.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss, sinus disorder, sleeping disorder, skin rashes and cancer, scars, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, and respiratory disorders. The decision was based on a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service or exposure to herbicides.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of her husband's death, concluding that his metastatic malignant melanoma could not be presumed to have been caused by Agent Orange exposure during his Vietnam service.

The Board has denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits due to lack of evidence linking the veteran's terminal illnesses to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for new dose estimates and an opinion from the VA Under Secretary for Health regarding the veteran's skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma and melanoma) being related to exposure to ionizing radiation in service.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and skin cancer are not related to his military service, including exposure to noise or radiation. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of in-service hearing loss or a current disability meeting VA criteria. For skin cancer, the Board noted insufficient evidence linking it to service.

The case is being remanded due to the lack of post-service medical records for metastatic malignant melanoma, which caused the veteran's death. The appellant needs to provide any available medical records from both VA and private providers.

The veteran's claims for service connection for multiple conditions, including stomach/digestive disorder (claimed as GERD and dyspepsia), migraine headaches, TMJ syndrome, lower urinary tract disorder, erectile dysfunction, malignant melanoma, and obstructive sleep apnea have all been denied. The Board found no evidence of these conditions being related to service or a service-connected disability.

The veteran seeks service connection for basal cell carcinoma and melanoma, which he claims were caused by ionizing radiation exposure during his military service. The claim is being remanded to obtain a dose estimate from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

The Board has determined that the veteran's currently diagnosed recurrent melanoma of the right shoulder, status post resection and chemotherapy, was neither incurred in nor aggravated by active military service. The evidence does not etiologically link the veteran's current condition to his service or any incident therein.

The veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer, claimed as due to ionizing radiation exposure during World War II in Nagasaki, Japan, is being remanded for additional development and consideration.