Skin cancer Board decisions

The Veteran's tumors and neoplasms of the skin, including malignant melanoma, are rated at 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 7833-7800. The scars associated with these conditions have been rated as noncompensable.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection for left ear hearing loss. The appeals for respiratory disability and melanoma on the right side of the abdomen are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claims of service connection for skin cancer, hypertension, and bilateral hearing loss. Additional medical evidence is needed.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for malignant melanoma, cataracts, and a knee disability due to exposure to residual radiation from nuclear testing in Eniwetok Atoll. The appellant needs to provide additional information regarding his exposure.

The Veteran's tinnitus and skin cancer claims are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and records. The VA will attempt to obtain updated treatment records from a correctional facility, arrange for an audiologist examination, and provide another opportunity for the Veteran to submit any relevant private records.

The Veteran's cause of death, cardiopulmonary arrest due to metastatic melanoma, is denied as there is no evidence linking the conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's skin cancer is related to his service, specifically herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding service connection for various conditions due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's service records do not show any diagnosis of malaria or other infectious disease. The appellant reported that he was diagnosed with malaria in the late 1940s, but contemporaneous medical records indicate an acute upper respiratory infection and hookworm treatment.,There is no evidence of a current disability for prostate cancer or basal cell/squamous cell skin cancers during the pendency of this claim. The appellant reported exposure to ionizing radiation, but there is no documentation supporting such exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development to obtain missing service treatment records and determine if he was exposed to herbicide agents or radiation during his National Guard service in Korea. The issues of service connection have been remanded as well.

The appeal seeking to reopen a claim for service connection for skin cancer is granted. The RO previously denied the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, prostate condition, urinary dysfunction, and glucose intolerance condition (to include diabetes mellitus, type II). These issues are remanded due to insufficient evidence of an in-service event or relationship.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to address whether the Veteran's current malignant melanoma is related to in-service basal cell carcinoma and/or exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The TDIU claim was granted.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for melanoma needs further development due to incomplete records and exposure history. The Veteran will need to provide additional medical records, including from his private dermatologist and VA treatment providers.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, type two diabetes mellitus, and skin cancer are denied. The Veteran's erectile dysfunction claim is remanded for further examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new evidence received after the June 2015 SOC, including VA treatment records and a need for a VA examination for squamous cell carcinoma on the back.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's skin cancer residuals, including left ear removal and nerve damage, should be remanded for further development.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability, finding that there is an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence. The appeal for service connection for skin cancer was dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for skin rash and skin cancer of the left arm is reopened, but his claims for exposure to Gulf War environmental hazards are denied. The Board finds that additional development is needed before these issues can be decided.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the unavailability of service treatment records, which may contain information relevant to the cause of death.