Service connection for skin cancer of the face and neck is granted due to exposure to burn pits during service. Service connection for skin cancer on other areas of the body not of the head and neck, spotty liver, and diverticulitis are denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran served in Southwest Asia and has current basal cell carcinoma lesions on the face and neck that are presumed to be related to exposure to burn pits. Liver cysts were found but do not meet service connection criteria as there was no evidence of a relevant liver disease or findings during service. Diverticulitis is considered moot due to the grant of service connection in an earlier decision.
- Claimed conditions
- skin cancer of the face and neck, spotty liver, diverticulitis
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 26, 2026
- Citation
- A26006872
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 A26006872.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a colon condition, including as caused by herbicide agent exposure or secondary to his service-connected disabilities, was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection on any basis.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for a compensable rating for chronic diarrhea, service connection for diverticulitis, and service connection for a respiratory system disability to include restrictive lung disease and sleep apnea syndrome have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for diverticulitis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
- Granted
The Veteran's hypertension is granted a 10 percent rating.,Service connection for diverticulitis and basal cell carcinoma/skin cancer residuals with scarring are denied.
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