The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for residuals of frostbite of the ears. The case is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities.
The deciding factor: New and material evidence was found in the form of a March 2015 statement from a private physician indicating that the Veteran may have residual frostbite of the ears due to exposure to cold weather during his service in Korea, which could relate to his current skin cancer of the ears. The claim is being reopened as it raises a reasonable possibility of establishing the claim.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of frostbite of the ears, skin cancer of the ears
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 26, 2015
- Citation
- 1545471
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 1545471.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board has denied service connection for a left leg brace and skin cancer of the ears, but granted service connection for left leg deep vein thromboses as part of his service-connected peripheral arterial/vascular disease. The claims for rheumatoid arthritis and left leg neurological disability (drop foot) are being remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to unanswered medical questions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's skin cancer of the ears, and a need for an adequate medical advisory opinion.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including blurred vision, night sweats, traumatic brain injury, sleep apnea, psychiatric disability (PTSD, major depression and anxiety), residuals of frostbite of the ears, and low back disorder. The decision is based on a finding that there is no direct evidence linking these conditions to service.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran has residuals of in-service frostbite of the ears and right foot, but denied service connection for residuals of frostbite of the right lower extremity (other than the right foot), the left lower extremity and upper extremities due to lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to his in-service exposure.
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