The Veteran's service-connected residual scars due to basal cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis of the head, face, and neck are not rated higher than 10 percent.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not show visible or palpable tissue loss with either gross distortion or asymmetry of one feature or paired set of features (nose, chin, forehead, eyes (including eyelids), ears (auricles), cheeks, lips) or two or three characteristics of disfigurement.
- Claimed conditions
- Basal cell carcinoma (BCC), Actinic keratosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 11, 2021
- Citation
- 21008018
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 21008018.
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: Granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection for arterioslerotic heart disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, chloracne, dermatitis, folliculitis, actinic keratosis, and dyshydrosis have been granted.,Service connection is established for the Veteran's arterioslerotic heart disease to include status post coronary artery bypass graft from July 25, 2011. The hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, and chloracne claims are also granted under presumptive service connection due to herbicide exposure.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for a 10 percent evaluation for residuals of malignant melanoma with BCC and SCC was granted. However, the claims for compensable ratings for scars associated with these conditions were denied.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his skin cancer and scar condition was denied as the evidence did not show that the disability more nearly approximated the criteria for a higher rating under any other diagnostic code.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted service connection for a skin disability, to include basal cell carcinoma, actinic keratosis, stucco keratosis, and seborrheic keratosis, as well as a right thoracic back circular scar, to include as secondary to treatment for basal cell carcinoma.
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