Skin cancer decisions — 2015

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and development of his claims.

The Veteran's skin cancer and heart condition are not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing they began during or were aggravated by his active duty service. The right knee injury is also not service-connected.

The Board has granted service connection for malignant melanoma and scars due to surgical removal of malignant melanomas. Service connection for prostate cancer due to Agent Orange exposure is denied.

The Veteran's transient ischemic attack and stroke, malignant melanoma of the right chest, and benign neoplasm of the left foot were not incurred in or aggravated by service.,VA treatment records do not indicate a relationship between these conditions and service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability, left knee disability, skin cancer due to sun exposure, and erectile dysfunction (ED), all secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the submission of new evidence and to ensure compliance with all due process requirements.

The Veteran's skin disorder, including as melanoma, was not incurred in service and is denied.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed due to his request to withdraw the appeals as to the issues of entitlement to service connection for skin cancer and residuals of right radical nephrectomy, both to include as due to exposure to an herbicidal agent.

The Veteran's skin cancer, diagnosed as melanoma of the left shoulder and carcinoma of the nose, is being remanded for a VA examination to determine if it is related to his active duty service, including sun exposure or herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin condition and melanoma, both claimed as due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran was exposed to Agent Orange during his service at Korat RTAFB in Thailand.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including an examination to determine the etiology of his claimed conditions and whether they are related to herbicide exposure at Fort Drum.

The Veteran seeks service connection for various conditions, including heart disorder, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hepatitis C, liver disease, neuropathy, and skin cancer. The appeal is mixed as some issues are granted while others are denied.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an eye disorder due to radiation exposure, and skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma) but denied them on their merits. The Veteran's current diagnoses of these conditions are considered, along with his in-service noise exposures and post-service symptoms.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination, including obtaining service treatment records, verifying hazardous chemical exposure, and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board found that the Veteran's skin cancer and related conditions are not service-connected as secondary to herbicide exposure, due to lack of evidence supporting a link between his current condition and his Vietnam-era service.

The Veteran's malignant melanoma is related to his active service, while his recurrent moles of the back are not. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of service connection for the recurrent moles.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and skin cancer, right side of face, as both conditions are not shown to be related to his military service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for the cause of death, but the Veteran's malignant melanoma was not incurred or aggravated by his active service. The Board also found no positive association between exposure to herbicides and any other condition.

The Veteran's melanoma or skin cancer was not incurred or aggravated during active duty, and its incurrence or aggravation during such service may not be presumed. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a grant of service connection for the claimed condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his exposure to herbicides in Japan and Vietnam.