Thyroid disorder decisions — 2015

The Board found that the Veteran's hypothyroidism is not related to his service-connected psoriatic arthritis and thus denied service connection for hypothyroidism.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to assess the Veteran's exposure to ionizing radiation during service, which may be relevant to her claims for service connection for thyroid cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for anaplastic thyroid cancer, status-post lobectomy, with subsequent laryngeal nerve paralysis as secondary to radiation exposure. The evidence did not establish that the Veteran was exposed to ionizing radiation during his military service and there is no evidence of record supporting a causal link between his diagnosed condition and his military service.

The Veteran's cataracts, enlarged lymph nodes along the trachea, heart disability, abdominal aortic aneurysm, peripheral vascular disease and residuals of thyroid cancer are not related to his service or exposure to asbestos.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding the Veteran's claims of service connection for a thyroid disorder and diabetes mellitus, including consideration of exposure to radiation during military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, coronary artery/ischemic heart disease, a skin condition, and a thyroid disorder related to herbicide exposure were denied as there is no evidence of such conditions during service or within the presumptive period. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection on any basis.

The Veteran's service-connected ulcerative colitis with complications, including anemia, hypertension, thyroid disturbance, and skin involvement, has resulted in pronounced symptoms leading to marked malnutrition, anemia, and general debility. The condition is productive of a 100% disability rating from April 19, 2012 to August 2, 2014.

The Veteran's service-connected chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia have been granted, with the presumption of exposure to undiagnosed illness or other qualifying chronic disability due to his service in the Southwest Asia Theater during the Persian Gulf War.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for thyroid disorder and skin cancer as due to radiation exposure and/or asbestos, finding no credible evidence of in-service exposure to ionizing radiation or asbestos. The Veteran did not have a pre-existing condition that was aggravated by service.

The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's stomach disorder, pseudofolliculitis barbae, right shoulder condition, Graves disease, knee conditions, COPD, sleep apnea, or chest syndrome to service. The Veteran's GERD was attributed to a known clinical diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Board has remanded the case to the AOJ for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling an examination. The Veteran's claim for service connection for Graves' disease is being addressed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a thyroid disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, and septicemia. The evidence did not establish a causal relationship between these conditions and his military service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not make him unable to obtain and maintain gainful employment, thus the claim for TDIU is denied.

The Veteran was granted TDIU as of November 1, 2009, due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and therefore grants service connection for this condition. The Board finds no evidence to support a finding of direct service connection or aggravation for hypertension and hypothyroidism.

The Veteran died from causes including cardiopulmonary arrest, sepsis, COPD, CFH, lung cancer, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and hypothyroidism. The Board found no evidence of service connection for any disability and concluded that the Veteran's death was not caused by or related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations and obtaining updated medical records.

The Veteran's heart palpitations were not shown to be incurred in or aggravated by service, and his thyroid nodule of the right neck did not meet criteria for a compensable rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to ensure that his claims are evaluated in accordance with applicable rating criteria and medical evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran's thyroid cancer is not related to his active service, including exposure to ionizing radiation. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection.