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
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 14, 2019
- Citation
- 19112004
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,812 · Granted: 30% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19112004.
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: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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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