The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 40 percent for his service-connected skin disabilities was denied. The Board found that the current 40 percent rating is appropriate based on the criteria for scars that are unstable or painful.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7818 (malignant neoplasms) as his treatment was confined to the skin and not systemic. The current 40 percent rating is based on the instability and pain of the scars, which is the highest available under this criterion.
- Claimed conditions
- Basal cell carcinoma, Squamous cell carcinoma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- January 9, 2019
- Citation
- 19102422
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,960 · Granted: 36% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19102422.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, basal cell carcinoma, bilateral pseudophakia, dry eye syndrome and blepharitis (bilateral eye conditions), diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and heart condition due to inadequate opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's exposure to asbestos is conceded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, basal cell carcinoma, bilateral pseudophakia, dry eye syndrome and blepharitis (bilateral eye conditions), diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and heart condition due to inadequate opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's exposure to asbestos is conceded.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, but no higher. The other conditions are granted with service connection based on in-service exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his skin cancer and scar condition was denied as the evidence did not show that the disability more nearly approximated the criteria for a higher rating under any other diagnostic code.
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