Skin cancer decisions — 2008

The Board denied the appellant's claim of service connection for cause of death and her eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits, finding that no new and material evidence had been presented to reopen the claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's melanoma is related to his service in the South Pacific during World War II, and thus grants the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran did not have exposure to Agent Orange during his military service and therefore cannot establish a presumption of service connection for any conditions related to such exposure. The claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, skin disorder, peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, heart disorder, and stomach disorder are all denied.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claim that his oropharangeal squamous cell carcinoma and head and neck melanoma are related to service, including exposure to herbicides. The cancers were not shown until many years after service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability during or within one year after service and no medical opinion linking the condition to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer due to exposure to ionizing radiation and finds that it is at least as likely as not related to his military service. The veteran was exposed to ionizing radiation while serving as a nuclear weapons mechanic specialist, and his current skin cancer can be linked medically to this exposure.

The Board has determined that the veteran's skin cancer is not related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of the veteran's service-connected skin cancer and an SOC concerning his claim of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for gamma-delta disease.

The Board denied the reopening of a claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board found that the veteran's left chest melanoma was not incurred or aggravated during his active military service and denied the claim.

The Board has granted service connection for post-operative residuals of malignant melanoma and assigned an initial 10 percent rating, effective May 3, 2003. The veteran's neck scars are rated as painful superficial scars under Diagnostic Code 7804.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a sleep disorder was denied. The Board found that there is no medical evidence showing the veteran has ever been diagnosed with or treated for a sleep disorder.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and DIC benefits, finding that there was no evidence linking the veteran's malignant melanoma to his military service or presumed Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has determined that the veteran's skin disorder, including skin cancer, was not incurred in or aggravated during active service and is not related to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for skin cancer and erectile dysfunction, finding no current diagnosis of these conditions in service or after service. The Board also found that there was no evidence linking these disabilities to herbicide exposure in service.

The veteran's case is being remanded for a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge, and no effective date or rating decisions are currently available.

The VA has determined that the veteran does not have skin cancer and there is no evidence linking it to service, including exposure to herbicide agents. As a result, the claim for service connection for skin cancer is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer, finding that there was no current disability and no medical nexus to his military service or presumed exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board denied the veteran's service connection claims for depressive disorder, nocturnal myoclonus/ restless leg syndrome, cervical spine disorder, arthritis, and myeloma/melanoma on the abdomen. The left foot/toes disorder was evaluated but not granted a compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's skin cancer is related to his prolonged unprotected sunlight exposure during active military service and grants service connection for this condition.