Skin cancer decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that the Veteran's skin cancers are not related to his active-duty service, including exposure to herbicide agents or sunlight. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's attorney has withdrawn all appeals related to the issues listed on the title page. As a result, the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's skin cancer and residuals are due to his service, specifically his exposure to Agent Orange during active duty. The Board granted service connection for these conditions based on the presumption of service connection for certain diseases associated with herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for a skin condition, including melanoma and actinic keratoses, finding that his current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his in-service sun exposure and herbicide exposure. The Board found the Veteran engaged in combat with the enemy during his service in Vietnam, which allows for the presumption of exposure to herbicides.

The Board denied service connection for a left ankle disability, right ankle disability, deviated nasal septum, nerve disability (tingling and numbness) secondary to service-connected lumbosacral strain, bilateral hearing loss disability, left knee disability, abdominal scar, and skin cancer.,The Board also remanded claims for service connection for a left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, tinnitus, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, and prostate cancer.

The Board has denied service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the lower back, finding that it did not manifest in service or within one year of discharge and is not otherwise attributable to service. The Veteran's claims for chronic fatigue syndrome, tension headaches, and chronic joint and musculoskeletal pain are remanded due to a duty to assist error.,The Board has found insufficient evidence to establish service connection for the claimed conditions without additional examination and opinion.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's motion to revise the January 2019 rating decision regarding service connection for squamous cell carcinoma as moot, and granted service connection for actinic keratosis but denied service connection for melanoma.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right frontal skin cancer and coronary artery disease due to alleged exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. The claims are being remanded for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on multiple conditions has been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a lung condition, skin cancer, and right ear hearing loss were denied. The denial of the lung condition claim is based on lack of current diagnosis. The appeal regarding skin cancer was dismissed as it was not readjudicated before the AOJ received the NOD. The right ear hearing loss claim was granted.

The Veteran's cause of death, metastatic malignant melanoma, was not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking the condition to his military service. The Board found no presumptive conditions associated with herbicide exposure or burn pits that would support a claim for service connection.

The Veteran's skin cancer is directly related to solar radiation exposure during his service, and the claim for service connection has been granted.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for a back condition and an earlier effective date of the 10 percent evaluation for a right knee condition have been dismissed due to untimely filing. The appeal for service connection for a skin condition is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma on a direct basis due to the Veteran's exposure to sun during his active military service. The claims are resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied a compensable evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected malignant melanoma and actinic keratosis with scars, finding that the evidence did not support an evaluation higher than noncompensable.

The Board has remanded the claims for chronic myeloid leukemia, cancerous colon polyps, skin cancer, ovarian cysts, and hysterectomy residuals due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran's exposure to benzene and carcinogens is not verified, and she needs an examination for her claimed ovarian cysts and hysterectomy residuals.

The Board has granted service connection for melanoma on a direct basis from January 30, 2019. The Veteran's current diagnosis of malignant melanoma is related to repetitive and prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) sunlight in service.

The Board has granted service connection for prostate cancer, colon cancer, skin cancer, and COPD disabilities based on the Veteran's in-service exposure to asbestos and toxic gasses.

The Board has remanded the claims for left forearm skin cancer, left shoulder skin cancer, and a respiratory condition due to potential service connection based on exposure to Agent Orange. The Veteran's pre-diabetes claim is denied as there is no current diagnosis or functional impairment.

The Veteran's skin cancers, including malignant melanoma and various carcinomata, are related to sun exposure during service. The Board has granted service connection for these conditions.