The Board granted service connection for basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma due to in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The claim for other skin disabilities was remanded for further development.
The deciding factor: The favorable private medical opinion supported the link between the Veteran's skin cancers and his in-service herbicide exposure, while the previous VA opinions were found inadequate.
- Claimed conditions
- basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma, actinic keratosis, seborrheic keratosis, telangiectasia, angioma, lentigo, neoplasm of unspecified behavior of bone, soft tissue, and skin
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 28, 2025
- Citation
- 25007235
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his lung cancer was related to his service-connected melanoma.
- 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 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for supraventricular arrhythmias, basal cell carcinoma, kidney stones, and COPD as the AOJ failed to substantially comply with prior remand directives.
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.