Skin cancer decisions — 2020

The Veteran's appeal was remanded for additional development. The left knee arthritis and bilateral hearing loss cases are still pending, but the melanoma service connection issue is being addressed separately.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional development and medical opinions regarding the cause of death.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates for the higher ratings of 30 percent for tongue cancer, neck scar, and TMJ disorder. The issue of an earlier effective date for skin cancer service connection is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back disability, an acquired psychiatric disability (including anxiety and major depressive disorder), left foot disability, right foot disability, and skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma and melanoma) due to unresolved issues.

The Board denied service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension with headaches, skin cancer on shoulders, back and face, bilateral eye disability (cataracts and diabetic retinopathy), peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, porphyria cutanea tarda, and coronary artery disease. The reasons were that there was no evidence to support these conditions being related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for acid reflux and migraine headaches, both linked to PTSD. Service connection was denied for melanoma, diabetes, prostate disorder, bilateral upper and lower extremity neuropathy.,Service connection is not established for melanoma due to lack of a current diagnosis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for skin cancer and brain tumors, as well as his claim for a compensable disability rating for lymphoma. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions on the basis of exposure to carbon tetrachloride during military service.

The Veteran's skin cancer and bilateral hearing loss claims are being remanded for additional examination and opinion to address the direct service connection aspect of their cases.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Veteran's skin cancer was not shown to be related to service, including herbicide exposure. The Board found that the condition did not manifest until many years after service and there is no evidence of a connection.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his ocular melanoma was not related to service or Agent Orange exposure. The Board also found no evidence of contaminated water at Camp Lejeune contributing to his death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation as of February 25, 2011. TDIU is granted.

The Board has remanded several claims for further development, including reopening of service connection claims for various conditions and issues related to hearing loss, carotid endarterectomies, vocal polyps, diabetes mellitus, type II, and retinopathy. The Veteran's spouse is being provided with the appropriate notice regarding these matters.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of service connection for acral lentiginous melanoma, to include as due to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The issue is still pending and will not be addressed further in this decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of service connection for a back disorder due to in-service exposure, as it was not addressed in the previous rating decisions and requires further development.

The Veteran's skin cancer, prostate condition, and urinary dysfunction are all granted service connection. However, his prostate condition is not related to herbicide agent exposure, and the Board denied service connection for urinary dysfunction as it was proximately caused by his prostate condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his time in Vietnam or any other period of active duty. The Board concluded that the skin cancer did not manifest during service or within one year after separation.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the preponderance of evidence is against a link to service. The Veteran's lower back disorder, skin cancer, and chronic bronchitis are remanded for further examination.,Service connection for a lower back disorder, skin cancer, and chronic bronchitis secondary to herbicide exposure in-service are also remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for erectile dysfunction, as it is unclear whether there is a nexus between the Veteran's PTSD and his erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's skin cancer disability was not shown in service, did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of service separation, and is not otherwise related to service.,The Veteran does not have a current peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities disability.,The Veteran does not have a current peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities disability.