Skin cancer decisions — 2007

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for melanoma, finding that it was not incurred in or aggravated by service and could not be presumed to have been incurred therein. The evidence did not show a current disability.

The Board found that the veteran's skin cancer was not present during service or for many years thereafter, and was not caused by any incident of service including Agent Orange exposure. Therefore, the claim for service connection for skin cancer was denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer and basal cell carcinoma, finding no evidence of a relationship to his active service or herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for skin cancer, chronic headaches, chronic sinusitis, and chronic bronchitis due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for a low back disability. The case is also remanded for further examination regarding the nature and likely etiology of any current skin cancer.

The veteran is seeking service connection for skin cancer residuals due to chemical exposure during his military service. The Board has determined that a VA examination is needed to determine the current status of his skin cancer and whether it is related to his service.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain service medical records and other pertinent evidence, including from the appellant's military unit in Vietnam. The claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, and skin disorders are also being remanded.

The veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for prostate cancer and skin cancer, both claimed as due to in-service exposure to ionizing radiation, are being remanded for further development. The case will be referred back to the Under Secretary for Benefits for an opinion based on a reconstructed dose estimate from DTRA.

The veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer and prostate cancer due to exposure to ionizing radiation is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining his service medical records and radiation dose data.

The Board denied reopening of the veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection due to exposure to carcinogenics, specifically for melanoma of the right eye and carcinoma of the larynx. The appeal is pending further development.

The veteran's appeal involves claims for service connection for various conditions, including skin cancer, headaches, choking and difficulty swallowing, and erectile dysfunction. The RO is directed to obtain medical records and conduct examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's thoracic aortic aneurysm was incurred in service and is granted service connection. The issues of skin cancer, hypertension, and congestive heart failure are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a travel Board hearing and providing VCAA notice.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of skin cancer or prostate cancer, and therefore cannot establish service connection for these conditions.,Both issues were denied as there is no evidence of a currently diagnosed disability related to in-service exposure to herbicides (Agent Orange).

The veteran's claim for service connection for a skin condition has been reopened. However, his claims for increased ratings for tinnitus and hearing loss have been denied as there is no legal basis to assign separate ratings for each ear for tinnitus or increase the disability rating for hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including a right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, skin cancer, pain and numbness of the right knee and great toe, pain and numbness of the left leg, hearing loss, and tinnitus. The claim was decided on the merits without any presumption based on Agent Orange exposure or other specific service connection theories.

The Board has determined that the cause of the veteran's death, metastatic melanoma, was not caused by or related to his military service and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to pending litigation involving Agent Orange exposure claims.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal in April 2007.