The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death due to malignant melanoma, but finds that exposure to Agent Orange did not contribute substantially or materially to his death. The Board also found new and material evidence supporting a reopening of the claim.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not establish a direct link between the veteran's service-connected condition and his cause of death due to malignant melanoma, but finds that exposure to Agent Orange may have contributed to his diagnosis.
- Claimed conditions
- malignant melanoma
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 7, 2002
- Citation
- 0202160
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0202160.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for malignant melanoma as due to UV exposure and sinonasal skull base poorly differentiated carcinoma as due to chemical exposures of TCE, benzene, and asbestos.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for malignant melanoma and sinonasal skull base poorly differentiated carcinoma due to herbicide exposure, as VA opinions regarding their etiology are needed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for malignant melanoma to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically to obtain a medical opinion that considers all in-service toxic exposures.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for malignant melanoma and a scar on the right temple, denied an increased rating for PTSD, and granted TDIU.
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