Skin cancer decisions — 2018

The Veteran developed malignant melanoma during his service in Iraq, and the Board granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, but has remanded the issue of service connection for skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma) due to lack of evidence regarding herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's skin cancer is denied as service connection because the evidence does not support a relationship between his active duty service and his condition, despite his contention that it was caused by exposure to ionizing radiation during service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for hepatitis C and skin cancer due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's lay statements are considered in determining whether these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for itching of the hands and face, right hand skin disability, right upper arm skin cancer, and skin cancer, head have been dismissed due to his request to withdraw these claims during a hearing before the Board.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including lumbar spine disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, type II diabetes mellitus, heart disorder, lung disorder, cysts of the throat and right parotid gland, skin cancer of the forehead, loss of vision, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, erectile dysfunction, bilateral foot swelling, and bilateral hand disorder. The claims were denied as new and material evidence had not been received to reopen these claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left eye choroidal ocular melanoma is related to his service, including exposure to herbicides. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's cause of death is being remanded for further review due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between his in-service exposure to herbicide agents and his death.

The Veteran's skin cancer and keratinization skin disorders are remanded for further examination and opinion to determine if they are related to his service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to issues related to verifying if the appellant is eligible as a surviving spouse for DIC benefits and determining whether the Veteran's cause of death qualifies under VA regulations.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim for service connection for skin cancer was granted. Service connection for ischemic heart disease (IHD) is also granted.,Service connection for lung cancer is denied, as there is no current diagnosis of lung cancer in the record.

The Board has dismissed all the Veteran's claims as they are moot due to his death in July 2018.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for left and right hip disabilities, as well as skin cancer. The VA will obtain additional medical records, schedule the Veteran for examinations to determine the etiology of his hip disabilities and skin cancer, and consider whether there is a relationship between his current conditions and his service-connected disabilities.

Service connection for PTSD is restored as the severance was improper.,The skin condition claim is denied due to conflicting evidence regarding whether the Veteran witnessed an in-service stressor, and no clear and unmistakable error has been established.,Diabetes mellitus type II is not service connected because there is no evidence of herbicide exposure during service. High cholesterol is also not service connected as it is not related to any in-service event or disease.,High cholesterol remains unconnected to service.

The claims for service connection for bone disease and skin cancer are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's service connection for colon cancer with metastasis to the liver, lymph nodes, and lungs was denied as it is not etiologically related to active duty service or his conceded exposure to an herbicide agent.,Service connection for stomach cancer was also denied as it is not secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions have been dismissed. The Board has also remanded the claims for COPD and heart disability.,No specific rating or effective date was assigned in this decision.

The Board denied service connection for skin cancer, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is not causally related to any in-service injury or disease, including herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's skin cancer is found to be related to his exposure to herbicides during service, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's skin cancer and actinic keratosis are granted service connection, and his PTSD is granted a 50% rating.