The Board has determined that the Veteran's skin cancer, including diagnosed SCC and AK, did not have its onset in service or is otherwise related to his service or any incident therein, including exposure to herbicide agents or sunlight. The claim for service connection is denied.
The deciding factor: There was no evidence of a current disability during service or within one year after separation, and the Veteran's skin cancer does not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection based on exposure to herbicide agents or sunlight. Additionally, there is no medical opinion linking the skin cancer to his service-connected residuals of an inclusion cyst.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), pre-malignant actinic keratosis (AK)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 28, 2018
- Citation
- 1819161
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1819161.
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: Granted
The Board granted service connection for squamous cell carcinoma based on the Veteran's toxic exposures in service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a skin disability and hernias to obtain additional medical opinions, as the previous VA examinations are found insufficient.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim due to a pre-decisional error, and will consider any additional evidence submitted when the claim is readjudicated. The issue of service connection for SCC is not currently before the Board.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a pre-decisional error in not obtaining a new VA examination regarding the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the lip, specifically related to in-service sun exposure and/or conceded in-service exposure to herbicide agents.
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