Thyroid disorder decisions — 2010

The Board finds that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and thus service connection for cause of death is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypothyroidism, finding that it was not incurred in or aggravated by service and is unrelated to her service-connected hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verification of service dates and provision of a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU, as they are not of such severity to preclude substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for hypothyroidism and leukoplakia of the larynx were denied. The Board found that the current symptoms do not warrant a higher rating under the applicable criteria.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for hyperthyroidism, finding that it is more likely than not related to his military service. The issue of service connection for a psychiatric disorder remains pending and will be remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claim for PTSD was granted. The Board also found that the Veteran had other disabilities, but did not grant service connection for them.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected condition, and he did not meet the criteria for burial benefits due to lack of service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her service-connected left and right elbow tendonitis, hypothyroidism, allergic rhinitis, asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis, and depression. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were pending at the time of his death, and he had submitted a timely appeal. As such, accrued benefits are granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been presented to reopen the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypothyroidism. Service connection was also denied for PTSD, IBS, sleep apnea, and a right hand disorder. A right ankle disorder claim is being remanded.

The Board found that the Veteran's thyroid disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by military service and denied his claim.

The Board has determined that the appellant is essentially so helpless as to need regular aid and attendance by another person, based on her physical disabilities including leg pain, loss of balance, deafness, vision loss, heart problems, arthritis, a thyroid disorder, constipation, stomach and pack pain, and fatigue. As such, the criteria for special monthly pension (SMP) are met.

The VA Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the Veteran's thyroid condition is etiologically related to his pre-service radiation exposure, and therefore service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's claim for vocational rehabilitation and employment services is being remanded due to the need for a current VA examination of his thyroid condition, as well as obtaining relevant medical records. The Board will determine if he meets the criteria for Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation benefits.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings in any of her service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary prior to adjudication of the Veteran's claim for service connection for a thyroid condition.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for her hypothyroidism is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records.

The Veteran's death was not due to a service-connected disability, and he did not meet the criteria for payment of nonservice-connected burial benefits as his body was claimed by his daughter and burial expenses were paid in full.

The Veteran's initial increased ratings for hypothyroidism and hypertension have been granted, with the current ratings of 30 percent and 10 percent respectively.