Skin cancer decisions — 2024

The Veteran's hypertension and right eye choroidal malignant melanoma are granted service connection due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.

The Veteran has withdrawn their appeal for service connection for skin cancer.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left foot disability, skin condition (including skin cancer), thyroid condition, colon cancer, lung condition, and prostate condition due to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The claims are being remanded as the VA examinations did not substantially comply with the November 2022 remand directives.,The Board has denied service connection for left foot disability, skin condition (including skin cancer), thyroid condition, colon cancer, lung condition, and prostate condition due to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The claims are being remanded as the VA examinations did not substantially comply with the November 2022 remand directives.

The Veteran's service connection for stage IV melanoma of the parotid gland (claimed as neck disability) has already been granted in an August 2023 rating decision.,The Veteran is also receiving a TDIU based on his single service-connected disability rated at 100 percent, and he is in receipt of SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s).

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and clarification of the Veteran's claims, particularly regarding his skin conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations and service connection were denied. The Board found no evidence supporting the requested increases or connections.

The Board has granted service connection for skin cancer, but the issues of left foot disability (gout), right foot disability (gout), bilateral leg disability, dry eyes disability, acquired psychiatric disorder, and hearing loss remain remanded due to conflicting medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for skin cancer was dismissed as the benefit sought has been granted.,The Board finds that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen claims for service connection of a brain tumor and right shoulder condition, which were previously denied in January 2018. The Veteran's VA Supplemental Claim and associated medical records are considered new and material.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence and a need for medical opinions regarding the Veteran's cause of death, including its relationship to service and exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted with an initial evaluation of 50 percent prior to February 20, 2020. The RO has remanded the issues regarding service connection for Skin Cancer and Left Eye Disorder due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for skin cancer graft scars is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his skin disability, including pre-cancerous actinic keratosis and skin cancer graft scars, is granted with a 30% rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's skin cancer is related to his in-service radiation exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to inadequate development of evidence. The claims are being returned for further development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA clinician addressing the nature and etiology of the Veteran's spindle cell melanoma.

The Board has remanded the claims for skin cancer, IBS secondary to PTSD, seizures secondary to PTSD, and TBI residuals due to service-connected PTSD. The VA is instructed to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, nocturnal bruxism, a scar on the right eye following an accident, retinal degeneration, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity (claimed as bilateral sciatica), and other conditions. The Board found no current disabilities or sufficient evidence to establish service connection.

The Board dismissed the appeal regarding service connection for a headache disability as it was already granted by the AOJ. The appeals for kidney cancer, melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, skin rash condition (itchy skin), and hypertension were denied due to lack of evidence showing these conditions began during or are otherwise related to active service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further development regarding whether the Veteran's current skin rash disability is related to his service, including a previous denial of melanoma.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus II, BUE and BLE peripheral neuropathy, skin cancer, xerosis of forearms, demodex folliculitis, and actinic keratosis due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active duty service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has denied service connection for ischemic heart disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, skin cancer, diabetes mellitus, and thyroid cancer as there is no persuasive evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for eczema is reopened and granted. The Veteran's non-cancerous skin condition, including tinea, dermatitis, and eczema, was etiologically related to his active-duty service.