The Board has determined that the Veteran's skin conditions, including actinic keratosis, squamous cell carcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma, are not related to his military service or exposure to herbicide agents. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions provided by VA dermatologists found that the Veteran's skin conditions were less likely due to in-service exposure to herbicides, including Agent Orange, Agent White, and Agent Blue.
- Claimed conditions
- Skin Condition, Actinic Keratosis, Basal Cell Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 16, 2022
- Citation
- 22069401
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 22069401.
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.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and has remanded the issue of an increased rating for skin condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claim of entitlement to a compensable rating for residuals of squamous cell carcinoma due to inadequate examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD, hypertension, DMII, hypothyroidism, and skin condition are related to his active-duty service. However, further development is needed for the claims of erectile dysfunction and skin condition due to potential exposure to toxins during service.
- Granted
The Board has restored service connection for Ischemic Heart Disease, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Diabetes Mellitus type II, Chronic Kidney Disease, Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy of the lower left extremity sciatic nerve, Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy of the lower right extremity sciatic nerve, and Hypertension. The Board found that the original grant of service connection was not clearly erroneous due to the Veteran's exposure along the DMZ in Korea.
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.