Skin cancer decisions — 2007

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for skin cancer and a compensable evaluation for residuals of sunstroke, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran's skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, and asthma were not incurred or aggravated during his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, skin cancer, 'small strokes', and prostate cancer, all claimed as due to radiation exposure. The evidence did not support a finding of service connection based on direct causation or any presumptive conditions.

The veteran's claims for service connection for skin cancer, residuals of a gunshot wound to the left foot, Type II diabetes mellitus, and PTSD were denied. The Board found no evidence linking any current conditions to military service or presumed herbicide exposure.

The veteran's cause of death was not found to be service-connected or related to the medications he took for his service-connected conditions. Additionally, there is no evidence that VA hospitalization contributed substantially to his death.

The veteran's cause of death was attributed to metastatic melanoma, but the Board found no evidence linking this condition to service or any other event during his military career. The claim for service connection for cause of death is denied.

The Board granted service connection for colon cancer on a presumptive basis due to exposure to ionizing radiation, but denied service connection for skin disability as not related to service or radiation exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding the veteran's exposure to ionizing radiation and its potential connection to his skin cancer.

The Board denied service connection for bladder cancer and skin cancer, including as due to exposure to ionizing radiation in service. The veteran's claim is not granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and conducting VA examinations to evaluate the veteran's hearing loss and service-connected melanoma scar.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and skin cancer, finding no credible evidence of in-service stressors or disease.

The Board found that the veteran did not participate in a radiation risk activity and thus could not establish exposure to ionizing radiation. The service records do not show any evidence of skin cancer, bilateral eye disability, or Parkinson's disease during service or within one year of separation from service. Therefore, service connection was denied for all three conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, colon polyps and cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer, and a seizure disorder. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service or due to exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of skin cancer and residuals of a left leg injury. The Board found that there is no current evidence of a left leg disability, but conceded that sun exposure during service may have contributed to later skin damage.

The veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted. The claims for bone cancer, liver cancer, colon cancer, and skin cancer/malignant melanoma, all claimed as secondary to Agent Orange exposure, are dismissed without prejudice.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and found that the veteran's current back disability, hypertension, heart disease, skin cancer, and PTSD are related to his military service. The claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is pending.

The Board has determined that the evidence received since the November 2002 rating decision does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death. The appellant's claim is therefore denied.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation based on service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that metastatic melanoma was not due to disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by service.

PTSD symptoms more nearly approximate a 50 percent rating.,The service-connected status post residuals of right radical orchiectomy for seminoma with embryonal carcinoma of the right testicle and atrophy of the left testicle with hypogonadism do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,There is no evidence of a lung disorder (claimed as tuberculosis, sarcoidosis/pneumonitis, respiratory disorder, lung disorder, breathing problems, and lung cancer secondary to carcinoma of the right testicle) incurred in or aggravated by active military service. The claim may not be presumed to have been incurred in or aggravated by military service.,Chest pain is not a distinct disability for VA disability compensation purposes.,Peptic ulcer disease was not incurred in, or aggravated by, active military service. The claim may not be presumed to have been incurred in or aggravated by military service.,GERD was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service. The claim may not be presumed to have been incurred in or aggravated by military service.,Degenerative joint disease was not incurred in, or aggravated by, active military service. The claim may not be presumed to have been incurred in or aggravated by military service.,Low back pain is not a distinct disability for VA disability compensation purposes.,Claudication (also claimed as peripheral vascular disease) was not incurred in, or aggravated by, active military service. The claim may not be presumed to have been incurred in or aggravated by military service.,Obesity was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service.,Dyslipidemia is not a disability for VA disability compensation purposes.

The veteran died of pneumonia due to pulmonary embolus and malignant melanoma. The appellant claims the exposure to ionizing radiation, Agent Orange, or other chemicals caused his death. Additional development is needed to determine what specific chemicals the veteran was exposed to during service.