The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected residuals of malignant melanoma was denied. The effective date for the 30% rating is January 22, 2016.
The deciding factor: The earliest evidence that the Veteran met the criteria for a 30% rating for his scars was on April 16, 2016, which is after the original claim date of September 11, 2009. However, as the Veteran already had an earlier effective date of January 22, 2016, the claim must be denied.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of malignant melanoma, basal cell cancers
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- February 14, 2019
- Citation
- 19112004
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,812 · Granted: 30% (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 19112004.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, bilateral pes planus, and residuals of malignant melanoma. The issues of entitlement to service connection for a left ankle disability, right ankle disability, prostate cancer, and TDIU prior to March 29, 2019 were remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration of service connection for residuals of malignant melanoma, as well as SMC based on a single disability.
- Granted
The Veteran's skin disability (residuals of malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma) is granted on a direct basis due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents in the Republic of Vietnam.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for residuals of malignant melanoma. The TDIU claim is remanded as the RO needs to assign a rating and effective date for this condition.
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