Skin cancer decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's skin cancer is related to in-service Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's skin cancer is granted as service connected. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU is remanded.

The Board has determined that the VA medical opinions obtained in October 2022 are inadequate and not responsive to the remand requests. The claims for service connection for chronic multiple melanomas and chronic headaches have been recharacterized as service connection for a skin condition and both claims must be remanded for an adequate VA medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to failure of the Veteran to attend scheduled VA examinations. The case is returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disability, including as due to herbicide exposure. The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's current skin conditions were related to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to notify the Veteran of the scheduled VA examination and an incomplete appointment confirmation. The Veteran will be afforded another opportunity to report for an examination, and any updated VA treatment records should be obtained.

The Board has withdrawn the claim for service connection for asthma and has remanded the claims for residuals of skin melanoma, bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and unspecified depressive disorder), and loss of erectile power due to an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has remanded the claims for ischemic heart disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, skin cancer, diabetes mellitus, and thyroid cancer due to insufficient evidence of herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as presumptively associated with his presumed exposure to herbicide agents under the PACT Act. Other conditions are remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient documentation of an in-person examination and for obtaining updated VA treatment records.

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

The Veteran's residuals of gallbladder removal are currently rated at 30 percent, effective from the date of the decision.,Service connection for scars associated with melanoma is remanded as there is insufficient evidence to establish a link between service and the condition.

The Board has remanded the cases due to new evidence and need for updated examinations, as well as assistance in obtaining private medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer, finding that there was no nexus between his in-service radiation exposure and his current condition. The weight of evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's skin cancer was caused by military service.

The Board has granted service connection for dermatomyositis and melanoma, finding that the evidence is in equipoise regarding these claims. The Veteran's current diagnoses are related to his active service due to exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has remanded the cases due to incomplete service treatment records. The Veteran is seeking service connection for a sleep condition, skin cancer, and a skin condition other than skin cancer.

The Veteran's skin cancer scars of the scalp are rated at 10 percent, and his skin cancer not of the head, face or neck is rated as noncompensable. The Board found that a compensable rating was not warranted for either condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional examinations and development are needed to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for various ankle and knee disabilities, as well as skin cancer and low back disability due to outstanding medical records and further examination.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current skin disorder of the face and/or neck, claimed as cancer (melanoma), related to his military service. The issue of erectile dysfunction is remanded for further development.