The Board denied service connection for bone disease (claimed as bone marrow malignancy) due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service or exposure to Agent Orange.,However, the Board granted service connection for squamous cell carcinoma (skin cancer), finding that sun exposure during service is at least in equipoise with the possibility of a link to the current condition.
The deciding factor: The February 2020 VA examination found no causal relationship between the Veteran's bone disease and Agent Orange or contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, but indicated that sun exposure was a significant risk factor for skin cancer.
- Claimed conditions
- bone disease (claimed as bone marrow malignancy), squamous cell carcinoma (skin cancer)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 1, 2020
- Citation
- 20057586
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 20057586.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an addendum opinion regarding the likely etiology of the Veteran's skin cancer, specifically addressing direct service connection and secondary aggravation by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes and skin cancer due to a failure to obtain adequate opinions regarding the relationship between these conditions and the veteran's exposure to toxic substances during service, including asbestos, PFAs, drinking water chemicals, and a burn pit. The VA examiner is required to provide an opinion on whether the current diagnoses are at least as likely as not caused by these exposures.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for squamous cell carcinoma (skin cancer) were both denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support granting either claim.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma (skin cancer) as there was no evidence of in-service occurrence or a nexus to service, and the medical opinions were against the claim.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.