Thyroid disorder decisions — 2009

The Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), a thyroid condition, and a mild chronic intermittent lumbar strain have been dismissed due to the untimely filing of his substantive appeal.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals, resulting in the dismissal of all pending issues.

The Board found that hypothyroidism was not present during service and could not be presumed to have been incurred in service. The Veteran's exposure to radiation while serving on a ship near Bikini Atoll did not result in the development of hypothyroidism, as there is no evidence of such disease within one year after separation from service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of her service-connected hypothyroidism and knee disabilities.

The Veteran's scar, due to the residuals of a thyroidectomy, is currently evaluated at 10 percent and the Board finds that an increased rating is not warranted based on the evidence provided.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for thyroid cancer, including as secondary to ionizing radiation exposure, is being remanded due to the need for a DRO hearing.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a thyroid disability and hypertension, finding that there is no evidence of these conditions during service or that they are related to his diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and verifying dates of service. The claims will be reconsidered after this development.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for thrombocytopenia, hypothyroidism, and diabetes mellitus as there is no evidence that these conditions began in or are related to her military service.

The Board found no evidence of tinnitus in service and denied the claim for service connection.,Regarding hypothyroidism, the appeal is not about service connection at all.

The Veteran is over the age of 65 and has a combined non-service-connected disability rating of 90 percent, meeting the criteria for special monthly pension based on housebound status.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a thyroid disorder and hypertension are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including medical opinions on causation.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected conditions. The issues on appeal include service connection for sleep apnea and initial ratings for GERD, hypothyroidism, and left ankle arthritis.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for various conditions, including Wegener's granulomatosis and its related symptoms. The Board found that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including hypothyroidism and an eye disorder, are not etiologically related to service or exposure to ionizing radiation or jet fuel. As such, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's current thyroid condition was not present during service or until many years thereafter, and there is no evidence linking the condition to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the loss of his claims file. The VA needs to rebuild the evidence file and request any additional medical records from the Veteran.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine whether the appellant requires regular aid and attendance due to her medical conditions, which could affect her ability to perform daily activities and require assistance.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical records and a VA specialist's opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected status post thyroidectomy contributed to his death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of varicose veins and a right arm and shoulder condition (claimed as bilateral arm condition) were not addressed. The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine was denied, while his claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for hypothyroidism was also denied.