The Veteran's claims for squamous cell carcinoma and back disability were denied, while his claim for right leg disability was not addressed. The denial of service connection for squamous cell carcinoma is due to the lack of a current diagnosis and no causal relationship between the condition and military service. Service connection for a back disability was also denied as there is no evidence linking the Veteran's current disability to his in-service injury.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not establish a current diagnosis or a causal link between the Veteran’s conditions and his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- squamous cell carcinoma, degenerative arthritis of the spine, intervertebral disc syndrome
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 18, 2020
- Citation
- 20074001
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 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 granted service connection for a deviated septum and right wrist pain, while denying service connection for sleep apnea. The decision also addressed various rating issues and effective dates.
- 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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for squamous cell carcinoma, finding that the Veteran's condition is related to his active service, including conceded in-service exposure to Agent Orange.
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