The Veteran's service connection claim for malignant melanoma is remanded due to the need for a VA examination to explore the etiology of his skin cancer, including any relationship to in-service sun exposure and/or contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
The deciding factor: The examiner must determine whether it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's cancer began in service or is otherwise related to service, including his conceded exposure to contaminated water while serving at Camp Lejeune, and/or as secondary to harmful in-service sun exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- malignant melanoma
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 7, 2019
- Citation
- 19135236
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 19135236.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for malignant melanoma as due to UV exposure and sinonasal skull base poorly differentiated carcinoma as due to chemical exposures of TCE, benzene, and asbestos.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for malignant melanoma and sinonasal skull base poorly differentiated carcinoma due to herbicide exposure, as VA opinions regarding their etiology are needed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for malignant melanoma to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically to obtain a medical opinion that considers all in-service toxic exposures.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for malignant melanoma and a scar on the right temple, denied an increased rating for PTSD, and granted TDIU.
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