Skin cancer decisions — 2018

The Veteran's malignant melanoma of the right torso with metastases is granted service connection based on exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. Service connection for thyroid condition (hypothyroidism) and melanoma of the blood are denied.

The Veteran's claim for vision problems was reopened due to the submission of new medical and lay evidence. The claims for left shoulder, left ankle, skin cancer, and right wrist disability are remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of skin cancer is granted, with a rating of 70 percent. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of scars associated with a right leg shell fragment wound and the effective dates are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for ulcers and an initial 50 percent rating for PTSD. The Veteran's claims for PAD/PVD, skin cancer on the face, sarcomas condition on the back, and GERD secondary to PTSD are remanded due to lack of a VA examination.

The Veteran's left ankle disorder, low back disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD), right knee disorder, skin cancer, upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, bilateral hearing loss, and gastritis are all granted service connection. The rating for the right ankle fracture residuals is 20%.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and residuals of skin cancer, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for the cause of death and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 due to inextricability with the issue of service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a contracted 5th toe, tinnitus, lumbar spine disorder, vision loss, and skin cancer due to in-service sunlight exposure. The Veteran's hearing loss is also being remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a bleeding ulcer and skin cancer, finding no current disability for either condition. The Board also noted that there was insufficient evidence to establish a link between the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents or sunlight during service and his current conditions.

The appeals for service connection for skin cancer of the nose, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's hypertension and melanoma skin cancer may be related to herbicide exposure during service, but more evidence is needed for a definitive decision.

Your claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for chronic myeloid leukemia, leukocytosis, and skin cancer, all claimed as due to ionizing radiation exposure. The evidence did not show the Veteran was exposed to ionizing radiation in service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to determine if he was exposed to herbicide agents during his period of service, which is required to decide these claims.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete VA medical records and a need to reconsider whether he served in Vietnam, which could affect his eligibility for Agent Orange exposure presumptions. The claims will be returned to the RO for further review.

The Veteran's appeals for left ear injury, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and residual hemorrhoid surgical scars have been dismissed. The Board has granted service connection for skin cancer disability, PTSD, low back disability, and left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy. Service connection for scalp scar is denied.

The Board has granted the appellant's application to reopen his previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a hernia. The claim is remanded for further development regarding other disabilities.

The Veteran's skin cancer, chronic arthritis, acquired psychiatric disability (depression), osteoporosis, and cervical condition were not found to be related to his service.,All diagnoses were either not present during service or within one year of separation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's melanoma is related to his active duty service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer as secondary to his service-connected ileitis, regional enteritis, inflammatory bowel, and anal fistulas is granted. The Veteran's prostate cancer claim is remanded due to the lack of a VA examiner's opinion on whether it is related to his Crohn’s disease.