Skin cancer decisions — 2023

The Veteran's tumors and neoplasms of the skin, including malignant melanoma, are granted an initial rating of 30 percent. Bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate compliance with previous remands and needs further clarification on the Veteran's exposure claims.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of VA examination, and thus requires further investigation into the nature and etiology of the Veteran's melanoma.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease status post myocardial infarction is granted as related to herbicide exposure in Thailand. The claim for service connection for multiple melanoma status-post resection is remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient compliance with previous remand directives, and a new medical opinion is needed regarding whether the Veteran's skin cancer of the upper back is related to service, including in-service sun exposure and/or herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during his active duty service, specifically at Fort Polk, Louisiana for basic training and Airborne Training in C-130 aircraft. The claim will be reconsidered with this new evidence.

The Board denied service connection for a right eye disability and skin cancer, finding no competent evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's service or any related exposure. The claim was based on direct service connection rather than presumptive due to herbicide agent exposure.

The Veteran's skin cancer and diabetes mellitus Type II are granted service connection as they are causally related to his exposure to sunlight and toxic chemicals during active duty.,Obstructive sleep apnea is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses at Sanford Dermatology & Laser Clinic on October 5, 2018 are now covered by VA due to a miscommunication and premature discontinuation of the pre-authorization process.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for throat cancer, bladder cancer, and skin cancer of the face and chest due to a duty to assist error. A VA examination is needed to assess whether these cancers are related to exposure to mustard gas during service.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's death, specifically his metastatic malignant melanoma. The appellant contends that this condition was caused by Agent Orange exposure during service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for prostate disorder, bladder disorder, skin cancer (melanoma), multiple myeloma, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma due to outstanding VA and private treatment records. The Veteran was stationed at Camp Le of Lejeune during service.

The Veteran's low back and hip/leg disabilities are not service-connected as they were caused by or aggravated by his prostate cancer treatment. The skin cancer residuals are also not service-connected due to herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's bilateral hip and leg disability is not service-connected, but the skin cancer residuals may be service-connected if found to be related to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran was granted service connection for sarcoma soft-tissue-malignant giant cell tumor/tendon sheath, melanoma, right foot, and constrictive bronchiolitis due to exposure to burn pits during his deployment in Iraq. Service connection is denied for right ear hearing loss.,Service connection has been established for the Veteran's sarcoma soft-tissue-malignant giant cell tumor/tendon sheath, melanoma, right foot, and constrictive bronchiolitis based on presumptive exposure to burn pits under the PACT Act.

The Board has remanded the claims for tinnitus, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and skin cancer due to Agent Orange exposure.,A VA medical opinion is required regarding the Veteran's skin cancer and a VA examination with an opinion is required for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error, and will seek additional service records from the Veteran's period of Reserve service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for various conditions due to technical issues at a personal hearing and VA's duty to provide examinations in response to the Veteran's exposure claims.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection due to a duty-to-assist error in previous opinions. New VA addendum opinions are required.

The Board has denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2, malignant melanoma, and valvular heart disease. The claim of service connection for prostate cancer is remanded due to a failure to provide an examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to accept a Higher-Level Review (HLR) form for skin cancer, lung cancer, and heart disorder claims due to untimeliness. The HLR Request was not timely filed within one year of the last decision on these issues.