The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for actinic keratoses and seborrheic keratoses of the hands and scalp, as well as squamous cell cancer at the dorsum of the left hand, all presumed to be due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam. The evidence did not establish a direct link between these conditions and his military service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was no positive association between the veteran's skin disorders and herbicide exposure based on the National Academy of Sciences' reports and the Secretary of VA's determination regarding presumptive service connection for such exposures.
- Claimed conditions
- actinic keratoses, seborrheic keratoses of the hands and scalp, squamous cell cancer at the dorsum of the left hand
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 28, 2008
- Citation
- 0841099
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0841099.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for actinic keratoses was granted. The claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD was denied, and the issues regarding scars and other conditions were remanded.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin condition, including basal cell carcinoma, actinic keratoses, and dermatitis, as it found no evidence to support a nexus between his current conditions and his active-duty service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his skin condition, including squamous cell carcinoma and actinic keratoses, is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection and higher initial evaluations for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, actinic keratoses, plantar fasciitis, basal cell carcinoma, and various musculoskeletal issues.
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