Skin cancer decisions — 2011

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused by a disease or injury incurred in service, and specifically denied service connection for the cause of his death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's skin cancer of the left arm and cancer of the lip were incurred in service due to exposure to sun. As such, these conditions are granted service connection.

The Board found no evidence of the Veteran's service in Vietnam and thus denied his claims for service connection based on herbicide exposure.

The Veteran is service-connected for bilateral varicose veins with history of phlebitis and skin cancer. The VA has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, thus granting TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for all claimed conditions, finding that the evidence did not show a direct relationship to service or any presumptive basis.

The Veteran's skin disability, including his current basal cell carcinoma and other skin conditions, is being remanded for further development to determine if it is related to service, particularly exposure to herbicides. The VA will obtain private medical records from the Mountain Home VA Medical Center and Kingsport Dermatological Associates, as well as a VA examination.

The Veteran's service connection claims for residuals of prostate cancer and a skin disorder, including skin cancer, are denied as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his period of military service or exposure to radiation.

The Veteran's service connection claim for melanoma was denied as there is no evidence showing the condition became manifest during or within one year after his separation from active duty, and there is no competent medical evidence linking the current melanomas to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a supplemental opinion from a VA examiner regarding whether the Veteran's skin cancer is related to his active duty service. The appeal will be returned to the Board after this development.

The Veteran's skin cancer of the left hand, including as due to herbicide exposure, was incurred in and caused by his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current skin cancer, including basal and squamous cell carcinoma, was not incurred in or aggravated by military service nor may it be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's skin cancer is not related to his service, and thus denied service connection for this condition. For GERD (Barrett's esophagus), the VA examiner found no evidence of a pre-existing esophageal condition during service, and noted that the Veteran's current GERD/Barrett's esophagus may be due to his PTSD. The organic residuals of frostbite issue is not addressed as it was not part of the appeal process.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance was denied as he does not meet the criteria for permanent aid and assistance due to his disabilities.

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

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, degenerative changes of the lumbar spine, multiple myeloma, and various skin disorders including basal cell cancer, malignant melanoma, and actinic and seborrheic keratoses. The denial is based on a lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or to exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred between July 1, 2006 and July 31, 2006 at Memorial Health University Medical Center were not covered by VA because the treatment was for a non-service-connected condition of metastatic melanoma brain tumors. The emergency services provided in a hospital emergency department or similar facility held out as providing emergency care to the public met the criteria for reimbursement under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1725 and 38 C.F.R. §§ 17.1000-1008, but VA personnel did not assure the Veteran that such expenses would be covered.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed skin cancer is related to his period of active service and grants the claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for skin cancer and an increased evaluation for PTSD due to insufficient evidence addressing potential etiology.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a cervical spine disability, spontaneous pneumothorax, chest pain, blood vessel damage of the head, mini-strokes or transient ischemic attacks, skin disorder, or hypertension due to service. The claims are denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of exposure to ionizing radiation was denied as there is no evidence that he was exposed to ionizing radiation during his active duty. The Board found that infertility, which the Veteran claimed was due to his alleged radiation exposure, is not a radiogenic disease and therefore not service connected.