Thyroid disorder decisions — 2007

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed cervical spine and lumbar spine disabilities were not incurred in service, nor are they related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The veteran's hypothyroidism and hypertension have also been found not to be related to service or any service-connected disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hypothyroidism, finding no evidence linking it to his active duty or Agent Orange exposure.

The veteran's hypertension and hyperthyroidism are not service-connected. The Board is unable to determine if the veteran's current left knee disorder is related to his service, but it is service-connected. His diabetes mellitus remains service-connected.

The veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, left kidney condition, thyroid condition including cyst, and asthma were denied as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for defective vision, peripheral neuropathy due to herbicide exposure, and thyroid tumor (claimed as tumor of the neck and throat) due to herbicide exposure. The evidence submitted was found not new and material.

The Board denied service connection for hypothyroidism and bilateral hearing loss, finding no evidence of a link to the veteran's military service.

The veteran's non-malignant thyroid nodular disease, status post subtotal thyroidectomy, is due to his in-service exposure to ionizing radiation and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The veteran's thyroid disability, which is manifested by fatigue and benign forgetfulness, but not muscular weakness or weight gain, does not meet the criteria for a higher rating than 30 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's post-operative papillary thyroid adenocarcinoma residuals and left thumb laceration scar residuals warrant a 10 percent evaluation each, with no need for further action on her part.

The Board has determined that the veteran's Graves Disease status post thyroidectomy does not warrant an initial rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board found that the veteran's adverse reaction to medication prescribed by VA did not result from carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA. The condition was deemed unforeseeable.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a Travel Board hearing.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA endocrine examination to clarify whether the veteran's hypothyroidism began in service and is related to his diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain additional medical records and conduct VA examinations for the veteran's claimed conditions. The issues of service connection for low back pain, bilateral knee disability, uterine fibroids, and thyroid disease are pending.

The Board has granted service connection for thyroid dysfunction and opthalmopathy, both secondary to Graves disease incurred as a result of exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has granted a rating of 100 percent for the service-connected hypothyroidism with Schmidt's syndrome, which is the highest available rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for deep vein thrombosis, thyroid disorder, and anemia cannot be granted as there is no competent evidence of their onset during a period of active military service.

The Board has remanded the case to determine if a new VA examination is needed and to consider all manifestations of the veteran's service-connected thyroidectomy, including hyperthyroidism and any other symptoms. The RO should also obtain the veteran's VA treatment records since December 2002.

The veteran's hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, hypothyroidism, and chronic fatigue syndrome are not service-connected as they have no direct link to his military service. High cholesterol is not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking it to a known clinical diagnosis or an undiagnosed illness.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for her hypothyroidism, currently rated at 10 percent.