The Veteran died of malignant melanoma, a condition not service-connected. His death is not considered to be due to any service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: Malignant melanoma was not service-connected and did not contribute to the Veteran's death as it was not the principal or underlying cause of his death.
- Claimed conditions
- Malignant Melanoma, Lumbosacral Pain (DJD), Left Knee Pain with DJD, Right Knee Pain with DJD, Right Ankle Pain, Left Ankle Pain, Tinnitus, Healed Fracture of the Left Fifth Metacarpal, Bilateral Hearing Loss, Feet Trichophytosis (Fungal Infection), Acne of the Chest, Back, and Abdomen, Pilonidal Cyst
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 4, 2009
- Citation
- 0933399
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 0933399.
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 Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
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