Skin cancer decisions — 2008

The Board has determined that further action is needed to verify the appellant's periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA) in the Georgia Air National Guard, as well as obtaining any outstanding service treatment records. The claim will be remanded for a VA examination and medical opinion regarding whether the appellant's skin cancer is related to his service, particularly his alleged exposure to the sun during his 26 years of service with the Air National Guard.

The Board has determined that the veteran's skin cancer, hypertension, paresthesia of fingers/toes, renal artery atherosclerotic disease, CAD, and erectile dysfunction are not service-connected or secondary to service.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied, but new evidence was received that may reopen his claim for a low back disability. The veteran is presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions, including PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, skin cancer, and bilateral knee disability, were not incurred or aggravated by his active service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The veteran's service-connected malignant melanoma and hemorrhoids were both granted, with the melanoma receiving a 10% rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, cirrhosis of the liver (claimed as liver problems), melanoma of the right leg, and a right leg scar. The claim for hypertension was granted but secondary to diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II and skin cancer (claimed as melanoma and basal cell carcinoma) are not related to his military service or exposure to Agent Orange. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are pending.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a pulmonary disability, skin cancer, or a left toe disability. The evidence does not support a finding of current disabilities related to these conditions.

The Board denied the appellant's claims of entitlement to service connection for skin cancer, a thyroid disorder characterized as hypothyroidism, and a leg rash. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking any service-connected condition to his death.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disability, including as due to Agent Orange exposure, finding that there is no evidence of current disability related to active military service or events therein, and thus denying the claim.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to the appellant requesting withdrawal of the appeal.

The veteran's application for Service Disabled Veterans' Insurance (RH) was denied because his mortality ratio of risk due to nonservice-connected skin cancer exceeded the maximum allowed by VA standards.

The Board finds that the veteran does not have any of the claimed conditions during service or due to herbicide exposure.,The Board finds that the veteran does not have a renal condition, bladder condition, right hydrocelectomy, or pain and loss of mobility of the bilateral lower extremities due to herbicide exposure.,The Board finds that the veteran does not have atypical cutaneous t-cell infiltrate in skin (claimed as skin cancer) due to herbicide exposure.

The veteran's initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss was denied. The issue of entitlement to an increased rating for bilateral chronic otitis externa and service connection for skin cancer remains pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder, residuals of malaria, and residuals of hepatitis. The claim for skin cancer (claimed as basal cell carcinoma) is being remanded due to incomplete documentation.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for cervical spine degenerative disc disease, allergic rhinitis, and status post excision of malignant melanoma were denied. The RO assigned a 40 percent evaluation for cervical spine degenerative disc disease effective from May 12, 2005.

The veteran's claim for service connection for malignant melanoma was reopened, and he is now entitled to this benefit. His claims for increased ratings of diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed colon cancer and basal cell skin cancer are not related to his active service, including ionizing radiation exposure. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The Board found that the veteran's skin cancer is not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking it to his military service, and denied both his claim for service connection and his request for an increased rating for tinnitus.