The Veteran's claims for service connection for varicose veins and basal cell carcinoma have been denied. The Board has remanded the claim for degenerative joint disease (to include osteoarthritis).,Service connection for varicose veins is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to active duty, and the Veteran's condition is more likely caused by risk factors such as obesity and age.,Service connection for basal cell carcinoma is denied due to lack of in-service exposure to Agent Orange and insufficient medical opinion supporting a link between the condition and service.

The deciding factor: The Board found that there was no evidence linking the Veteran's current varicose veins or basal cell carcinoma to his active duty service, including exposure to herbicides. The degenerative joint disease claim is remanded for further examination as it involves a complex medical issue.,For varicose veins, the Board noted that while the Veteran had a history of treatment and diagnosis, there was no in-service incident or connection to his hypertension. For basal cell carcinoma, the lack of exposure to Agent Orange and insufficient medical opinion against a link with service were key factors.,The degenerative joint disease claim is remanded as it involves multiple joints (back, right hip, bilateral knees, both hands) and requires an examination to determine if any current diagnoses are related to his active duty service.

Claimed conditions

varicose veins, basal cell carcinoma, degenerative joint disease (to include osteoarthritis)

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

January 31, 2024

Citation

24004810

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 24004810.