Thyroid disorder decisions — 2010

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of shrapnel wounds to the face and neck, finding no current disability. Service connection was also denied for a thyroid disorder due to presumed exposure to herbicides during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for thyroid cancer, which he contends is related to exposure to ionizing radiation in service, has been remanded due to the need for a dose estimate of any potential radiation exposure. The case will be referred to the Under Secretary for Benefits for further consideration.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including depression and anxiety (claimed as psychiatric disorder), COPD, dementia, colitis, and hypothyroidism are denied. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of in-service onset or association with service.

The Board found no clear and unmistakable error in the September 1977 rating decision that granted service connection for hyperthyroidism, as it did not address a pending claim for hypothyroidism. The Veteran's claim was denied because there was no indication of CUE.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of hypertension, PTSD, a pre-thyroid disorder, and sinusitis/upper respiratory infections have been dismissed as he requested withdrawal of his appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected hypothyroidism.

The Veteran's thyroid follicular adenoma is not related to his service, including exposure to ionizing radiation. The claim was denied.

The Board has granted an extension of the appellant's delimiting date to June 14, 2015 for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits under Chapter 35, Title 38, United States Code due to her physical and mental disabilities preventing her from completing her chosen education program.

The Veteran claims service connection for cancer of the thyroid and lymph nodes, which he asserts is due to ionizing radiation exposure during his military service. The case is being remanded for further development including obtaining a new dose estimate from VA based on the Veteran's claimed exposure.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability and denied the claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for migraine headaches and increased ratings for hyperthyroidism and breast cancer were denied. The Board found that the Veteran had migraine headaches since service, but her hyperthyroidism did not warrant a higher rating as she does not have associated symptoms such as tachycardia or tremor.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service treatment records are unavailable and remands the case for further development, including obtaining alternative medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if his hyperthyroidism is related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, chronic bacterial sinusitis, and dysthymia are denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a link to military service.

The Veteran's service-connected thyroidectomy scar is currently rated as 10 percent disabling from October 11, 2007. The rating was increased to reflect the current level of disability.

The Veteran developed thyrotoxicosis and hyperthyroidism as a result of being prescribed amiodarone by VA for atrial fibrillation. The Board found that the initial prescription without trying other medications first, and subsequent failure to discontinue use of amiodarone constituted carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment or similar instance of fault on VA's part.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected Hodgkin's disease residuals, assigning a 20 percent disability rating effective from November 1, 1996. The decision also addressed and denied claims for separate ratings for hypothyroidism, post herpetic neuralgia of the left upper extremity, and chronic upper respiratory tract infection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypothyroidism and hypertensive vascular disease, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is not related to his active service and denied his claim. The thyroid cancer secondary to exposure to depleted uranium was also denied as there is no evidence of radiation exposure.

The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's hypertension and cardiovascular disease, or nonmalignant thyroid disease, and his military service. The conditions were not first manifested during active duty or within one year post-service, and there is no credible evidence linking them to service.