Thyroid disorder decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the etiology of his hyperthyroidism. The claims will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple conditions, including a cervical spine disorder, colon cancer and its residuals, impotence, abdominal scars, and thyroid cancer. The case is being remanded for further development to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's multinodular goiter was not shown to be related to service or radiation exposure, and thus his claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to obtain service treatment records and VA medical records, as well as to provide the Veteran with a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of her claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are now pending. His gastrointestinal disorder is granted, his thyroid disorder remains in the process of being reopened, and his skin disorder has also been reopened.

The Veteran's death was not due to willful misconduct, and at the time of his death he had service-connected disabilities but did not meet the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that there is no evidence linking these disabilities to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is granted. The claims for increased ratings for glaucoma with bilateral cataracts, left thumb status post arthroplasty with degenerative changes and scars, and hypothyroidism are remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding VA or private treatment records relevant to the claims on appeal.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and hypothyroidism due to lack of evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or Agent Orange. The Veteran's claims were also denied as the conditions are not considered diseases or injuries under VA compensation laws.

The Veteran's initial rating for hypothyroidism has been increased to 100 percent effective the date of the decision. For the period prior to August 21, 2014, the Veteran's lumbar strain was rated at 20 percent.