The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a back disorder, including arthritis; skin cancer; and prostate cancer, all of which were secondary to exposure to ionizing radiation. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his period of active service.
The deciding factor: There is no competent medical evidence showing a nexus between the veteran's current back disorders, skin cancer, or prostate cancer and his period of active service.
- Claimed conditions
- Back Disorder (including arthritis), Skin Cancer, Prostate Cancer
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Ionizing radiation
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 19, 2002
- Citation
- 0216575
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 0216575.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of March 15, 2023, for a 40 percent evaluation for service-connected prostate cancer and earlier dates for the awards of service connection for anterior and posterior trunk scars.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) for accrued benefits purposes and denied it for prostate cancer.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus type 2, and erectile dysfunction, effective May 24, 2021.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection due to new and relevant evidence having been received since a previous denial.
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