The Board has determined that the Veteran's skin cancers, including melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell epithelioma, and basal cell carcinoma (claimed as skin cancer), were caused by or related to sun exposure in service. As a result, the claim for service connection is granted.
The deciding factor: The Board found an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence supporting the Veteran's contention that his skin cancers were caused by sun exposure during military service.
- Claimed conditions
- melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell epithelioma, basal cell carcinoma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 25, 2019
- Citation
- 19149446
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his lung cancer was related to his service-connected melanoma.
- Partly granted
The appeal for service connection for skin cancer was dismissed due to untimeliness, while the claim for squamous cell carcinoma was granted.
- Partly granted
The Board dismissed the claim for service connection for headaches and remanded claims for service connection for various other conditions, including open angle glaucoma, sensorineural hearing loss, asthma, heart disease, bladder cancer, and squamous cell carcinoma.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for supraventricular arrhythmias, basal cell carcinoma, kidney stones, and COPD as the AOJ failed to substantially comply with prior remand directives.
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