Skin cancer decisions — 2008

The Board is requesting additional medical information to determine if the prostate cancer contributed to or weakened the veteran's melanoma, which caused his death. The case will be remanded for further development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for squamous cell skin cancer of the lip, basal cell skin cancer of the chest, and actinic keratosis as they are not considered to be related to his military service or exposure to ionizing radiation.

The veteran's appeals seeking service connection for right ear hearing loss and skin cancer, a rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension, a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, and TDIU prior to July 6, 2005 have been dismissed as the veteran withdrew his appeals.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of skin cancer, finding no evidence to support a nexus between his current condition and his military service.

The veteran's claimed conditions were not found to be related to service, including exposure to ionizing radiation. Service connection was denied for all issues.

The Board denied service connection for irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Service connection was also denied for testicular cancer and skin cancer.

The Board found that the veteran's melanoma of the left ankle did not have its onset during service, was not otherwise related to his service, and is not a disease listed under presumptive provisions for radiation-exposure. The claim was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and skin cancer as secondary to exposure to herbicides. The Board found that there was no evidence of current residuals of skin cancer, and that the veteran did not have a history of relevant treatment during service or ACDUTRA. The Board also noted that Agent Orange use at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown in 1966-1967 is not one of the diseases eligible for service connection based on exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA medical records and scheduling a respiratory examination. The veteran's claims for service connection are pending.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded to the RO for additional development.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claims for service connection for postoperative residuals of skin cancer, myocardial infarction, status post removal of a Warthin tumor (thyroid glandular problems), PTSD, major depressive disorder, DJD of the lumbar spine, left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, hypertension, bilateral knee disorder, and arthritis. The claims are therefore denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for low back disability, left arm injury residuals, right arm and wrist disability, left neck disability, skin cancer, increased rating for left thumb injury, and basic eligibility to receive pension benefits due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have skin cancer that is related to service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's skin cancer claim is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service or herbicide exposure. The low back disability claim results in a denial due to the lack of medical evidence showing that the condition was incurred during service or due to herbicide exposure. The postoperative inguinal hernia claim also results in a denial.

The Board has decided that the veteran's skin cancer is not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking it to his in-service exposure to ionizing radiation. However, the claim will be remanded for a VA examination to determine if there are any other factors related to his service that may have contributed to his current condition.

The veteran does not have current malignant melanoma of the right forearm, and there is no evidence linking it to his military service. The Board denies service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for lung cancer, as due to exposure to ionizing radiation. The claim for skin cancer was reopened based on new and material evidence showing a current diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma.

The veteran's depression is service-connected as secondary to his postoperative residuals of a pilonidal cyst, but the disability rating for the pilonidal cyst and skin cancer claims remains at 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's applications to reopen claims for service connection for a ruptured left ear drum, skin cancer, and dental disability as new and material evidence was not submitted.

The Board granted service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that the veteran's service-connected tubercular pleurisy was a contributory factor in his death.