Skin cancer decisions — 2009

The Board granted service connection for basal cell carcinoma, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's chronic skin cancer is etiologically related to active service.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for malignancies with history of melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and dysplastic nevi due to jet fuel exposure.

The Board granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy and skin cancer, but denied service connection for second and third degree burns.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the assigned effective dates for the grants of service connection for vitiligo, residuals of lymphadenectomy, and postoperative residuals of a malignant melanoma of the left foot with amputation of the left fifth toe.

The appeal was dismissed due to the veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded to the RO for further development and adjudication.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for skin cancer and a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the veteran's death was caused by a skin cancer etiologically linked to service, and grants service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The veteran's skin cancer, hearing loss, and tinnitus were not related to his service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer, to include as due to Agent Orange exposure, was denied because the evidence did not show that his skin cancer is related to his active service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer, finding no evidence of exposure to ionizing radiation and no direct link between his skin cancer and military service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer was denied as there is no competent medical evidence of record showing that the veteran has skin cancer or that his skin cancer is related to his period of active service, including exposure to herbicides.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and melanoma of the left arm as they were not related to the veteran's active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for skin cancer and rectal cancer, finding that the evidence did not support a causal relationship between these conditions and the veteran's active service or exposure to ionizing radiation.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for chronic left knee strain was received on February 10, 2006, and there is no evidence to support a higher evaluation of 20 percent during the one-year period prior to that date. The claim for basal cell carcinoma has been reopened based on new and material evidence.

The Board concluded that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for melanoma, and thus denied the appeal.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, as there was no evidence linking his metastatic melanoma to his military service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for leukemia, prostate cancer, and skin cancer as they were not related to ionizing radiation exposure during service.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed conditions, including atrial fibrillation, knots under arms (lipomas), leg disorder (weak legs, knee arthralgias), memory loss, skin cancer, and pulmonary disorder (shortness of breath) as they were not shown to be related to his active military service or any herbicide exposure.

The Board found that the preponderance of evidence was against the veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer, including based upon exposure to ionizing radiation.