Skin cancer decisions — 2019

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and skin cancer, finding no evidence of exposure to herbicides agents during service and insufficient medical evidence linking the cancers to service.

Service connection is granted for diabetes mellitus, type II and prostate cancer to include as secondary to herbicide exposure.,Service connection is granted for eye disability (glaucoma) and skin disability to include service-connected disabilities or herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to comply with previous directives and will need a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's skin disorder is related to in-service exposure to fuel, battery acids, or organic solvents.

The Board has denied service connection for leukemia and remanded the issue of service connection for right eye/eyelid melanoma due to herbicide exposure or as secondary to a service-connected disability, including MDS.

The Veteran's liver disorder was not found to be related to his military service, including herbicide exposure.,Service connection for basal cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis (skin cancer) was granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including hyperlipidemia, heart disability, diverticulitis, skin disability, skin cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and GERD are remanded due to the need for further development regarding exposure to herbicide agents and/or chemicals in service.

The Board has denied service connection for ischemic heart disease, skin cancer, right hand disorder, left hand disorder, right leg disorder, and left leg disorder. The issues of service connection for gallbladder disorder, bone loss disorder, right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disorder, including melanoma, due to exposure to herbicide agents. The evidence did not show that the Veteran had a current disability or that his condition was related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's exposure to ionizing radiation, which may have contributed to his cause of death.

The Board has dismissed the appeals seeking service connection for left ear hearing loss, hypertension, melanoma, and a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss. The appeal seeking service connection for a psychiatric disability is remanded.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for skin cancer due to radiation exposure and herbicide agents as the Veteran withdrew his request. The other issues are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to metastatic malignant melanoma, concluding that it was not related to his military service or exposure to herbicides.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for skin cancer, prostate condition, and urinary dysfunction due to insufficient medical opinions regarding potential direct service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and skin cancer, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during service and insufficient medical evidence to establish a link between the cancers and service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, skin cancer, and ischemic heart disease. The claims are being remanded to obtain medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's malignant melanoma was diagnosed within one year of separation from active service, meeting the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted service connection due to presumed exposure to herbicides in Thailand. However, his malignant melanoma is denied as there is no evidence of its onset during service or within the one-year presumptive period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's skin cancer is at least as likely as not related to his service, and therefore grants service connection for skin cancer.

The Veteran's service connection claims for skin cancer, residuals of right breast cancer, scar of the right breast, diabetes mellitus, diabetic nephropathy with hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities were denied. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a finding that these conditions began in service or are otherwise related to service.

The Board has denied service connection for the claimed conditions under Chapter 17 of Title 38 U.S.C. due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service, and has remanded for further examination on some issues.