Skin cancer decisions — 2017

The Veteran's thyroid cyst/nodule had its onset during a period of active duty military service, and the Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether it was incurred or aggravated by his military service. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of any acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD. Therefore, service connection for such conditions is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities (claimed as frostbite), spine disability, chronic myeloid leukemia, skin cancer, leukocytosis, and lung condition. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service.

The Veteran's skin cancer is being remanded for additional development to determine if it is related to his service, including herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has found that the Veteran's skin cancer, including melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and basal cell carcinoma (BCC), is not related to service or herbicide exposure. The scars resulting from surgical removal of these cancers are also not considered service-connected.

The Board found that the Veteran's skin cancer, including melanoma and basal cell carcinoma, was not incurred or related to his active service. The preponderance of evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's skin cancer was due to any aspect of his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and skin cancer residuals were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to May 19, 2010, or in excess of 10 percent thereafter. For skin cancer residuals, no clear photographs were provided, and the issue was deferred due to its interdependence with the TDIU claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for various conditions, including precancerous lesions of the face, skin cancer, and a heart disorder, is being remanded due to incomplete verification of his claimed radiation exposure during military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for malignant melanoma, including as secondary to herbicide agent exposure, is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and consideration of outstanding medical records.

The Veteran's skin cancer is granted service connection, and his CAD remains at a 10 percent rating.

The Veteran's scars from skin cancer and lumbar stenosis have been granted initial ratings of 10 percent, effective May 14, 1999 (date of claim to re-open service connection).

The Veteran's respiratory disorder, skin cancer, and PMLE were not incurred or aggravated by service. The Board found no evidence of a relationship between the conditions and service.

The Veteran's skin cancer is being remanded for further examination and opinion to determine if it was incurred in service or due to inservice sun exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to assess the nature and etiology of any diagnosed skin disability, including melanoma cancer of the face and hands, squamous cell cancer of the face, hands, and arms, and actinic keratosis. The Veteran is also requested to submit relevant treatment records from his 1976 surgery with Dr. K.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is presumed to have been incurred in service. His rectal cancer is found to be secondary to his service-connected prostate cancer. The skin cancer was not shown in service and is not otherwise related to service.

The Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the right tonsil, residuals of skin cancer, and malignant neoplasm of lymph nodes are being remanded for further development due to potential service connection under VA regulations for radiation exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's metastatic lung cancer is at least as likely as not related to his in-service exposure to contaminated drinking water at Camp Le Jeune, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's skin cancers, including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma, are at least partially attributable to sunlight exposure during his active duty service. The Board finds that the Veteran's contentions regarding sun exposure are credible and grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claim for rheumatoid arthritis cannot be granted as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during or within one year after service, and no competent medical evidence suggesting a relationship to military service. The skin cancer issue remains pending.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for skin cancer and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a link between his in-service sun exposure and his current condition.