Skin cancer decisions — 2009

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current skin disability, including squamous cell skin cancer, is related to his exposure to sunlight during service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran seeks service connection for skin cancer, which he claims is related to exposure to ionizing radiation during his military service. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the validity of this claim.

The Board found that the Veteran's skin cancer was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and did not find any evidence to support a presumption of service connection due to ionizing radiation exposure. The claim for service connection was therefore denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for skin cancer and for reopening a previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a dental disability. The decision found that there was no evidence of a current skin condition or any continuity of symptomatology since service, and thus, did not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's cause of death, malignant melanoma, was not service-connected as it did not arise from an in-service disease or injury and no presumption applies due to the Veteran being a POW. The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran's skin cancer and sun exposure residuals, including actinic keratosis, are manifested by two characteristics of disfigurement. The percentage of the entire body affected by skin changes reflects fifteen percent of the body surface area, with majority on face, arm, and hands. The scars do not meet criteria for higher ratings based on their depth or instability.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions, including malignant melanoma at temporal lateral canthus as secondary to squamous cell carcinoma in situ of the left conjunctiva and residuals of this condition such as chronic ptosis, blepharitis, and lid-blink dysfunction.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's terminal disease, metastatic melanoma, is attributable to service and grants service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran's skin cancer was not incurred or aggravated by service, nor may it be presumed to have been incurred in service due to exposure to ionizing radiation. The Board finds the preponderance of evidence against a nexus between the Veteran's current skin cancer and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's malignant melanoma is related to his active military service and grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's skin cancers were not incurred or aggravated in service and are not attributable to exposure to ionizing radiation during service. The preponderance of the evidence is against this claim.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's terminal disease, metastatic melanoma, is attributable to service and grants service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, skin cancer (presumed due to herbicide exposure), and PTSD. The Veteran's current conditions are not related to his active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various eye, ear, and skin conditions due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by service, nor did any such disease or injury contribute substantially or materially to his death.

The Board found that the Veteran's back condition, bilateral leg numbness, and skin cancer were not incurred or aggravated by service. The claim for service connection for hearing loss was previously denied in 1991 and reopened based on new evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's malignant melanoma of the left foot is likely attributable to in-service herbicide exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's skin cancer and actinic keratosis are being remanded for further development to determine their etiology.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected, but his skin cancer is not. The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the skin cancer and service.