Skin cancer Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for skin cancer and salivary gland cancer due to inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine if his current conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer is denied as there is no recognized association between herbicide exposure and skin cancer. The claims for increased ratings of peripheral neuropathy are granted with initial ratings of 10 percent each prior to July 21, 2015, and subsequently rated at 40 percent each from that date onwards.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of frostbite on the left side of the Veteran's face, skin cancer of the left ear, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD). The conditions are found to be related to in-service events.

The Veteran's claims for left shoulder disability, skin cancer and skin problems, and bilateral hearing loss were denied.,An initial compensable rating of 10 percent was granted for bilateral hearing loss effective February 21, 2012.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and remanded the issue of service connection for skin cancer due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disorder (melanoma) is remanded due to the need for an additional VA examination and etiology opinion.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a dental disorder for compensation purposes and anxiety and PTSD are also remanded as they require further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and skin disease, including metastatic melanoma, due to outstanding VA treatment records and Social Security Administration (SSA) disability records. The Veteran was unable to attend VA examinations for his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's neck disability is not service-connected as it did not occur in service and there is no evidence of a chronic condition. The current diagnosis is related to an on-the-job injury after separation from service.,The Veteran's basal cell skin cancer was diagnosed many years after service, and the VA examiner concluded that exposure to herbicides during service is not associated with causing this type of skin cancer.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome was denied in December 2002 and reopened in September 2015. The evidence does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to support the claim, so it is not new and material.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer was denied in December 2006 and reopened in September 2015. The evidence relates to an unestablished fact (a link between a current disability and an in-service injury) necessary to support the claim, so it is new and material.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a right foot bone chip fracture was denied in March 2003 and reopened in September 2015. The evidence does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to support the claim, so it is not new and material.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability was denied in this decision. The evidence does not show that the current disability is proximately due or aggravated by a service-connected condition.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral eye disability was denied in this decision. The evidence does not show that the current disability is proximately due or aggravated by a service-connected condition.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease was denied in this decision. The evidence does not show that the current disability is proximately due or aggravated by a service-connected condition.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during service. The cases will be reviewed again once this information is obtained.

The Veteran's skin cancer is presumed due to herbicide exposure, but the Board cannot make a determination without further examination as basal cell carcinoma is not considered a presumptive disease.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of skin cancer, finding that there was no reasonable possibility that his skin cancer was caused by in-service exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have prostate cancer, but he has been diagnosed with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). The issues of entitlement to service connection for chloracne and skin cancers are remanded due to a need for medical opinions regarding herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this case.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD is denied, and the case is remanded to obtain updated treatment records and determine if his skin cancer is related to service.

The Board has denied service connection for skin cancer and heart bypass. The case is being remanded to obtain a proper medical opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's need for heart bypass surgery.

The Board dismissed the appeals of service connection for skin cancer on the lower lip, skin cancer on the right foot, and bilateral hearing loss as no substantive appeal was filed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, dengue fever, skin cancer, and a right arm growth have all been denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a link to service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal. The Board also remanded several issues including service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, DDD/DJD of the lumbar spine, erectile dysfunction, bilateral knee and leg disorders, and TDIU.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a pulmonary disorder, CAD, and skin cancer due to potential exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand. Additional research is needed to verify the Veteran's claims.