The Board granted service connection for scars resulting from surgery for malignant melanoma incurred during active duty service and remanded the other claims for further development.
The deciding factor: Service connection was granted based on a positive nexus opinion that the Veteran's back scars resulted from documented toxic exposure risk activities. The other claims were remanded due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors, including an incomplete SSA records request and inadequate VA examination opinions.
- Claimed conditions
- scars associated with malignant melanoma, polycythemia vera, thyroid cancer, pituitary macroadenoma with acromegaly, oropharynx cancer, cervical spine arthritis, left ankle arthritis, right ankle arthritis, left hip replacement, right hip replacement, left knee arthritis, right knee arthritis, left shoulder arthritis, right shoulder arthritis, right foot arthritis, right hand arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 9, 2025
- Citation
- A25050493
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed conditions, including right shoulder arthritis, left shoulder arthritis, right hip condition, left hip condition, low back disability, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, as there was no evidence of in-service injury or illness related to these conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for thyroid cancer, as it was not shown to be chronic in service and did not manifest within the applicable presumptive period.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter of entitlement to service connection for right hip replacement due to a need for an addendum medical opinion addressing aggravation.
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.