Skin cancer decisions — 2016

The Veteran's skin cancers, including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma are related to service. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions were caused or aggravated by exposure to herbicides during service.

The Veteran's death was attributed to respiratory failure, cardiac arrhythmia and malignant melanoma. The Board found no evidence of these conditions in service or due to Agent Orange exposure, thus denying the claim for service connection.

The Veteran seeks service connection for basal cell carcinoma, claimed as skin cancer due to radiation exposure during service. The case is being remanded for further development including preparation of a dose estimate based on alleged exposure at an atomic bomb test site.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions including sleep apnea, lung condition, enlarged prostate, femoral aneurysm, basal cell carcinoma, and malignant melanoma. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.,The Veteran seeks service connection for a lung condition (previously diagnosed as pulmonary embolism) and femoral aneurysm right leg. The VA will determine if these conditions are related to his service-connected cardiovascular disease or due to Agent Orange exposure.,The Veteran is seeking service connection for enlarged prostate, basal cell carcinoma, and malignant melanoma. These claims will be evaluated based on the presumption of exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam.,The Veteran seeks service connection for a lung condition (previously diagnosed as pulmonary embolism) and femoral aneurysm right leg. The VA will determine if these conditions are related to his service-connected cardiovascular disease or due to Agent Orange exposure.,The Veteran is seeking service connection for basal cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma. These claims will be evaluated based on the presumption of exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam.,The Veteran seeks service connection for basal cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma. These claims will be evaluated based on the presumption of exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, basal cell carcinoma, and melanoma were denied. The claim for a compensable initial disability rating for the right leg scar was withdrawn by the Veteran. New and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, which is now granted.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical opinions regarding his service-connected conditions and their relationship to military service. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with these issues.

The Veteran's skin cancer is presumed to have been incurred in service due to exposure to herbicides, including Agent Orange. The Board finds that the Veteran's skin cancer cannot be disassociated from his period of active duty service, and grants entitlement to service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete verification of the Veteran's exposure to herbicides and ionizing radiation, as well as a need for further examination regarding his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's skin cancer and enlarged prostate were not found to be related to his service, including presumed exposure to herbicide agents like Agent Orange. The Board denied both claims for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations to assess his diabetes, skin cancer, and GERD.

The Veteran's skin cancer was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, nor may it be presumed to have been incurred therein. The Board found that the current disability is not related to any incident of service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer, now claimed as cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), and found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claim. The decision is final.

The Veteran's melanoma and residuals thereof are at least as likely as not proximately due to his herbicide exposure. His bilateral hyperaldosteronism is an endocrinopathy that manifested within one year of separation from active duty, warranting presumptive service connection. The Veteran's left ear hearing loss had its onset during active duty.

The Board dismissed all issues on appeal due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for service connection for skin cancer, and the Board does not have jurisdiction to review this matter.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for appropriate VA examinations to address his claims of skin cancer and a lung disability. The issue of service connection for PTSD will also be addressed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected skin cancer disability. The claims for increased rating and service connection are also being remanded.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA). The case is being remanded to obtain an independent dose estimate and a medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's fatal cancer and in-service radiation exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate consideration of a statement from a private physician regarding increased risk for non-melanoma invasive skin cancer, even decades after exposure to Agent Orange. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered with an appropriate medical examination and further analysis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the relationship between his skin disorder, liver disease, and prostate disorder with service connection.