Skin cancer decisions — 2020

The Board has determined that the Veteran's skin cancer is caused by exposure to ionizing radiation during his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for skin cancer, including as due to herbicide exposure, and for TDIU. The remand is required because an addendum opinion is needed regarding the etiology of the Veteran's skin cancer condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's skin cancer is related to an incident of service, and therefore grants the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left knee disability, OSA, and skin cancer are service-connected. However, due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause or aggravation of these conditions by a service-connected condition, additional development is required.

The Board has remanded several claims due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing updated opinions from VA examiners.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes, arthritis, diverticulosis, allergies, coronary artery disease (CAD), and skin cancer have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence.

The Board has granted service connection for skin cancer, finding that the Veteran's current disability is at least as likely as not related to in-service sun exposure. The issue of nonservice-connected pension benefits was remanded.

The Board denied service connection for skin cancer, left shoulder disability, and left ankle disability. The Veteran's skin cancers were not related to in-service exposure or sun exposure. His left shoulder and ankle disabilities are not linked to his military service.,The Board found that the Veteran’s current left shoulder disability is not related to an in-service injury and denied service connection for it.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's skin cancer did not manifest during service or within one year thereafter and is not otherwise related to his military service, including sun exposure. Therefore, the claim for service connection for skin cancer is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left ear hearing loss, skin cancer, low back disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and sleep apnea due to inadequate medical opinions in the July 2014 VA examination.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection of facial skin cancer due to the death of the appellant, and the anxiety disorder was already granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for skin cancer, hypogonadism, and mental health disability due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of these conditions. The Veteran's exposure to ionizing radiation in service is acknowledged, but the doses are disputed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and diabetes, do not prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that TDIU is denied as his combined rating is at least 80 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for skin cancer (2 types), asthma, lesions of the left lung, and lung disease have been denied. The claim for service connection for multiple sclerosis has been reopened.

The Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, right lower extremity neuropathy, and left lower extremity neuropathy have been denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.,The Veteran's claims for colon cancer and skin cancer have been remanded due to the need for further examination and opinion regarding their etiology.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer and skin cancer, finding that there was no evidence of in-service exposure to ionizing radiation or herbicide agents. The cancers were not shown during service or within one year after separation.

The Veteran's skin cancer and PTSD have been denied. The Veteran's PTSD has also been denied for increased ratings.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death, finding that skin cancer was not related to his military service or any service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and melanoma skin cancer due to herbicide exposure. The VA is instructed to obtain updated medical records, conduct new examinations, and provide addendum opinions addressing whether there is at least a 50% probability that these conditions are related to service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's skin cancer and secondary service connection for his scars of the lip, nose, and left ear as being related to his now service-connected skin cancer.