Skin cancer decisions — 2024

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 service connection for hepatitis and melanoma of the face and back as secondary to exposure at Camp Lejeune due to a lack of medical opinion meeting PACT Act requirements.

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 toxic gasses and asbestos.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, heart valve replacement with resulting scar, skin melanoma, and IBS (with GERD) effective from June 22, 2022.,An earlier effective date of June 22, 2022, was granted for the grants of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, heart valve replacement with resulting scar, skin melanoma, and IBS (with GERD).

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 toxic gasses and asbestos.

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 found new and relevant evidence to warrant readjudication of the claim for service connection for skin cancer, but the RO did not find that new and relevant evidence was received. The case is remanded for initial readjudication on the merits.

The Board has dismissed all issues of service connection as the Veteran died during the appeal process.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for emphysema, COPD, and skin cancer of the face due to incomplete or inadequate medical opinions.

An initial 30 percent disability rating for the service-connected basal cell carcinoma (skin cancer) residual scars on the face and head is granted, along with a separate 10 percent rating for a painful and unstable scar near the sacral region. Service connection for a right eye disability secondary to treatment of skin cancer is remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claim for coronary artery disease as secondary to herbicide exposure is granted. Claims for colon cancer, throat cancer, skin cancer, liver cancer, lung lesions, and an aortic aneurysm are denied.

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of Beneficiary Travel mileage expenses to a Kansas City VAMC on December 11, 2023, is granted due to the travel being related to his service-connected disabilities and he was timely in filing his claim.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer, finding that his condition is directly related to his exposure to herbicides during active service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error, specifically regarding the relationship between the Veteran's atherosclerotic cerebrovascular accident and his in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The examiner is asked to provide an opinion on whether this condition qualifies as ischemic heart disease for purposes of presumptive service connection.

The Board has remanded two issues related to the Veteran's skin conditions, including removal of benign skin neoplasms and malignant skin cancer. The remand is due to a lack of an examination addressing potential service connection based on conceded exposure to toxins during military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his active service and his current condition. The Veteran had been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma but the medical opinions provided did not support a link to exposure at Camp Lejeune.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of COPD, obstructive sleep apnea, and skin cancer are remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error and remands the case for further action.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for colon cancer and skin cancer due to exposure to herbicide agents during active duty, as per the PACT Act. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine if these conditions are related to TERA exposures.

The Veteran's right ear and right head scars, residuals of skin cancer are not rated higher than 10 percent due to lack of visible or palpable tissue loss and characteristics of disfigurement.,The Veteran's right shoulder scar, residuals of skin cancer is not rated more than 0 percent as it does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 7802.,The Veteran's left shoulder scar, residuals of skin cancer is also not rated more than 0 percent as it does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 7802.