BVA decisions by condition
Malignant skin neoplasms (other than malignant melanoma): BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a malignant skin neoplasms (other than malignant melanoma) issue in 5,833 decisions. It granted the malignant skin neoplasms (other than malignant melanoma) issue in 19.2% of them, close to the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 28.5%, and remanded it in 51.3%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 40.3% were granted.
Decisions
5,833
2017–2026
Granted
19.2%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
40.3%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
51.3%
Denied: 28.5%
Malignant skin neoplasms (other than malignant melanoma) outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 317 | 12.3% | 37.9% | 47.6% |
| 2018 | 514 | 14.2% | 35.8% | 47.7% |
| 2019 | 689 | 14.2% | 32.4% | 51.8% |
| 2020 | 673 | 15.6% | 33.3% | 50.1% |
| 2021 | 669 | 16.6% | 28.3% | 55.0% |
| 2022 | 749 | 18.4% | 25.0% | 56.2% |
| 2023 | 697 | 18.5% | 24.2% | 56.2% |
| 2024 | 602 | 27.7% | 21.6% | 49.8% |
| 2025 | 670 | 25.4% | 26.7% | 47.2% |
| 2026 | 253 | 36.0% | 23.3% | 41.5% |
Evidence in granted and denied malignant skin neoplasms (other than malignant melanoma) decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the malignant skin neoplasms (other than malignant melanoma) issue on the merits when the decision mentioned it, compared with decisions that did not. These are associations, not causes, and evidence is recorded per decision, not per issue.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive nexus opinion | 1,100 | 83.4% | 21.4% | +61.9 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 644 | 74.6% | 33.0% | +41.6 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 389 | 73.7% | 36.5% | +37.2 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 2,310 | 54.2% | 26.3% | +28.0 pts |
| Buddy statement | 149 | 54.3% | 39.8% | +14.5 pts |
| Combat service | 488 | 44.3% | 39.8% | +4.5 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 969 | 25.0% | 42.3% | −17.3 pts |
| Lay statement | 4,322 | 34.7% | 61.2% | −26.5 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 76.4% of the decisions that granted malignant skin neoplasms (other than malignant melanoma).
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 36.3% of grants and 10.7% of denials.
Negative evidence in the record
An unfavorable exam or a negative nexus opinion often sits in the same record as favorable evidence, and the Board weighs them against each other. So these rows show how often malignant skin neoplasms (other than malignant melanoma) was still granted when the record contained the negative item, not that the item helped.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative nexus opinion | 2,938 | 35.3% | 47.3% | −11.9 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 3,735 | 35.5% | 52.2% | −16.6 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied malignant skin neoplasms (other than malignant melanoma)
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established235
- Service records negative or silent15
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service15
- Presumed herbicide exposure in vietnam11
- Conflicting medical opinions on nexus9
- Caused by the service-connected disability9
- Presumption of herbicide exposure due to vietnam service8
- Criteria for service connection met8
Most common reasons in denials
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service250
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis219
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim192
- Service records negative or silent180
- No current diagnosis137
- Current diagnosis established65
- No continuity of symptomatology41
- Continuity of symptomatology since service23
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
Recent malignant skin neoplasms (other than malignant melanoma) decisions
Granted
Favorable private medical opinion linking cancer to psoriasis and treatments; Inadequate VA examiner opinion that did not address nexus to treatment; Medical literature supports increased risk of skin cancer from psoriasis and treatments
Competent, credible, and probative evidence establishes the Veteran's melanoma/SCC was caused by service activities.; Dr. W.F.'s private opinion was given high probative weight due to thorough review, analysis, and clear rationale.; Negative VA opinion from July 2025 was discounted due to apparent bias in seeking a negative outcome after prior positive opinions.
Private medical opinion found melanoma at least as likely as not related to Agent Orange exposure.; Opinion cited scientific literature and explained biological mechanisms.; Veteran has current diagnosis of melanoma and presumed Agent Orange exposure.
Denied
No current diagnosis of skin cancer; Service treatment records negative for skin cancer; Post-service records negative for skin cancer; Layperson not competent to diagnose; Benefit-of-the-doubt doctrine not applicable
Negative VA C&P examiner opinion; Evidence weighs against service connection; Primary cause is UV exposure
No probative evidence of nexus to service, including herbicide exposure.; Oncologist's opinion lacked specific rationale linking melanoma to herbicide exposure.; Melanoma is not a presumptive condition for herbicide exposure.
Rules that apply to malignant skin neoplasms (other than malignant melanoma) claims
- 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your malignant skin neoplasms (other than malignant melanoma) case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.
How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a malignant skin neoplasms (other than malignant melanoma) issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2017–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.