Skin cancer Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by his representative, thus the case is dismissed.

The Veteran seeks service connection for skin cancer, which he claims was caused by exposure to sunlight in service and ionizing radiation during Operation Dominic. The case is being remanded due to the need for further research on the Veteran's reported involvement in Operation Dominic and potential dose estimate of ionizing radiation exposure.

The preponderance of the evidence is against a finding that the Veteran's skin cancer, diagnosed many years after service, is attributable to in-service sun exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for choroidal melanoma right eye, claimed as right eye prosthesis, has been withdrawn. The case is being remanded to obtain updated VA treatment records and a new VA examination for PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for prostate cancer, skin cancer, and bladder cancer due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The Veteran did not have service in Vietnam or exposure to herbicides during service.

The Board denied the appellant's claim of entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that no disability incurred in or aggravated by service caused or contributed substantially or materially to the Veteran's death.

The Board has reopened the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded to determine if the Veteran was exposed to radiation during his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic thoracolumbar back pain and skin cancer was denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability, or any link between the claimed conditions and military service.

The Board has granted an increased evaluation to 20 percent for the Veteran's right knee disability, including a separate 10 percent evaluation for loss of extension. The current 10 percent rating for impairment of the knee remains in effect.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have skin cancer as a result of his service and denied the claim.

The Veteran's cause of death was attributed to metastatic malignant melanoma and hepatic failure, which the VA medical opinions suggest were not caused by service or within one year following discharge. The appellant argued for presumptive service connection based on Agent Orange exposure, but the VA medical opinions found this unlikely.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's exposure claims and further development is required.

The Veteran's service-connected skin cancer with residual scars is manifested by repeated ulceration affecting five areas of his head and face that are painful, discolored, and occasionally become open lesions. The Board finds the Veteran's disability warrants a 30 percent rating under DCs 7800, 7803, and 7804.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities are not related to service, including exposure to VX nerve agent. Service connection for all conditions is denied.

The Veteran's death from metastatic desmoplastic malignant melanoma is being remanded for a VA clinical opinion to determine if it was causally related to his service, including exposure to the sun and a second degree sunburn in June 1970.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer of the left ear, right eyebrow, nose, left shoulder, and neck as there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or exposure to herbicides. The only diagnosed form of skin cancer was basal cell carcinoma found in 2005 on the left posterior neck.

The Board found that the Veteran's skin cancer, including malignant melanomas and basal cell carcinomas, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and could not be presumed to have been incurred therein. The preponderance of evidence does not support a link between the Veteran's exposure to ionizing radiation during service and his current skin cancer.

The Veteran's skin cancer, including the left ear, left forearm, right side of the nose, upper and lower back, and lip, has been rated as 10 percent disabling since May 8, 2003.

The Veteran's service-connected scars and hearing loss have been granted.,Service connection for tinnitus has also been granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied due to lack of a verified stressor. The claim for metastatic malignant melanoma in the lymph nodes of the right arm was not reopened as new and material evidence was not provided.