Skin cancer decisions — 2019

The Board has decided to remand the case due to conflicting opinions and a need for clarification on whether the Veteran's metastatic melanoma was an unforeseeable event resulting from VA treatment.

The Veteran's appeal to reopen his service connection claim for melanoma was dismissed because the Veteran withdrew the appeal before a decision could be made.

The Board has granted service connection for depression, headaches, and sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus, depression, and medication use. Service connection was denied for left knee disorder, right knee disorder, colon cancer, skin cancer, diabetes mellitus, and erectile dysfunction.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including sinus/allergic rhinitis, headache condition, hypertension, skin cancer of the bilateral arms, high cholesterol, bilateral shoulder condition, appendix removal residuals, colon condition, GERD, brain stem stroke, sleep apnea, and heart condition. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's skin cancer is denied as not related to service, including exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.,His bilateral sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) does not warrant a compensable rating on a schedular basis and the Board finds no exceptional circumstances warranting an extraschedular evaluation.

The appeal to reopen a claim of service connection for skin cancer is denied. The appeal to reopen a claim of service connection for a low back disability is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development due to lack of adequate nexus opinions and because the Veteran declined further examinations. The case will be returned after completion of these tasks.

The Board has denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and a bilateral foot disability. The case is remanded for further development regarding the Veteran's skin cancer.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer due to a lack of an opinion on the etiology of his skin cancers and the need for a VA examination.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of tinnitus and skin cancer as the Veteran died before a decision could be made.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for skin cancers due to Agent Orange exposure and sun exposure in Vietnam, as the VA examinations did not address the Veteran’s assertions regarding his history of sunburns during service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin condition, including skin cancer, seborrheic keratosis, and actinic keratosis, finding no evidence of such conditions during service or related to his presumed exposure to herbicide agents (Agent Orange).

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for skin cancer and intestinal condition (chronic diarrhea) due to lack of sufficient information regarding his sun exposure in Vietnam and post-service use of sunscreen.

The Veteran's fibromyalgia is granted service connection as secondary to her service-connected PTSD and/or chronic fatigue syndrome. The cases for autoimmune disease, connective tissue disorder, residuals of gall bladder removal, breast cancer, and skin cancer are remanded.

The Veteran's skin cancer was not shown during active service or for many years thereafter, and there is no evidence or medical opinion of record which directly relates his skin cancer to either his military service or herbicide exposure. The claim for service connection for skin cancer as due to exposure to herbicide agents is denied.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea had its onset during service and is granted. The Board also found that the Veteran has right knee, ankle, and foot disorders, a right wrist condition (including ganglion cyst and carpal tunnel syndrome), hemorrhoids, a scar on his thigh, and residuals of skin cancer of the left cheek/nose, all related to service.

The Veteran's spinocerebellar ataxia is granted as service connected. Service connection for DDD of the lumbar spine, skin cancer, residuals of a right elbow fracture, and bilateral hearing loss are remanded.

The appeals seeking service connection for various conditions have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for melanoma, finding that there is no positive association between exposure to herbicide agents and any disease or injury claimed by the Veteran. The Board also found that the Veteran's current diagnosis of malignant melanoma was not related to in-service exposure to sun.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and skin disability, including melanoma due to in-service herbicide exposure. The remaining issues of service connection for diabetes mellitus, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are also remanded.