Skin cancer decisions — 2020

The Veteran's skin cancer is granted as service-connected due to exposure to sun during his military service.

The Board has remanded the cases due to new evidence being added to the record and the Veteran's request for AOJ initial consideration.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder have been granted service connection.,Service connection has not been established for choroidal melanoma, dry eye, glaucoma, or optic atrophy.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for skin disability, including skin cancers or their residuals. The evidence did not support a finding that any current skin condition was related to his military service.

The claims for OSA, GERD with Barrett's disease, and a heart condition (claimed as cardiomyopathy) are remanded due to the need for further development.,The claim for melanoma is denied as there is no evidence that it was caused by exposure to ionizing radiation or ultraviolet radiation from sun exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for gastrointestinal disorder and skin cancer due to inadequate opinions in previous examinations. The Veteran is presumed competent to attest to his symptoms during service, but the VA examiner did not consider this evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for ear infections, skin cancer, and sinusitis are being remanded due to the need for additional examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, skin cancer, and enlarged prostate to obtain a VA examination.,Veteran served in Vietnam during the requisite period, raising a presumption of herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for skin cancer and lung cancer, including those related to herbicide exposure. The effective date of the grant of service connection for lung cancer is also being remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss and skin cancer. For right ear hearing loss, a new VA examination is needed to determine if he now meets the threshold requirements for compensation under 38 C.F.R. § 3.385. For skin cancer, a VA examination is also needed to assess its relationship to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including melanoma, prostate disorder, hypertension, arthritis, gastrointestinal disorders, erectile dysfunction, and cancer of the lymph nodes. The claims are being remanded to obtain VA examinations and determine if there is a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service, particularly his exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for skin cancer, asthma (including as secondary to asbestos exposure), hypertension, and diabetes mellitus type II due to potential exposure to Agent Orange during his service aboard the U.S.S. Piedmont.

The Veteran's service-connected respiratory disorder (claimed as asbestosis) is denied.,The Veteran's left shin splint condition, hepatitis C, cataracts (secondary to hepatitis C), malignant melanoma, residuals of a right forearm cyst, and sleep apnea are all denied.,Service connection for these conditions is not granted due to lack of evidence supporting their onset or relationship to service.

The Board has denied service connection for lower extremity deep vein thrombosis, right foot hallux valgus, prostate cancer, and skin cancer. The Veteran's claims are denied as there is no evidence of a link between these conditions and his active service.

The Veteran's cause of death, listed as malignant melanoma, is related to his presumed exposure to herbicide agents in the Republic of Vietnam. The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and an opinion from a VA medical professional.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient consideration of the appellant's contention that the cause of the Veteran’s death, malignant melanoma, was related to sun exposure during service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, hearing loss, skin cancer, and sleep apnea are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of records from his periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for asthma and melanoma with scar, both of which are presumed to be related to in-service herbicide exposure. The VA examiners' opinions were deemed inadequate due to lack of a clear nexus between service and these conditions.

The Board dismissed the appellant's claim for an earlier effective date for DIC benefits based on a grant of service connection for the cause of her husband's death, finding that there was no freestanding claim and dismissing as a matter of law.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's skin cancer and its relation to his active duty service. The Veteran will need to undergo an examination, and he is invited to provide additional evidence from his private clinician.