Thyroid disorder decisions — 2016

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the Veteran was exposed to hazardous materials during service and whether any of these exposures could cause his current conditions, including diabetes mellitus.

The Board finds that the Veteran's exposure to ionizing radiation in service contributed to his development of thyroid cancer, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's dysthymia is not service-connected, and the Board finds that it was not caused by VA care or treatment.,The Veteran's heart condition is not service-connected, and the Board finds that it was not caused by VA care or treatment.,The Veteran's thyroid disease is not service-connected, and the Board finds that it was not caused by VA care or treatment.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is not service-connected, and the Board finds that it was not caused by VA care or treatment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's thyroid cancer is related to military service, including as due to Agent Orange exposure. Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities is also granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show a current bilateral hearing loss disability as defined by VA regulatory criteria, and thus denied this claim. For the rating period from December 12, 2007, the Veteran is granted a 100 percent schedular rating for hypothyroidism due to service connection. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is moot given the grant of a 100 percent schedular rating for hypothyroidism. SMC at the housebound rate was awarded from October 24, 2008 to January 14, 2013.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for thyroid disease and skin cancer, both claimed as resulting from exposure to ionizing radiation. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Board has granted service connection for a thyroid disorder (non-toxic adenoma of the thyroid, euthyroid) and denied service connection for respiratory and left flank skin disorders based on exposure to radiation during military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development and needs further examination.

The Board has remanded the case for a video conference hearing at the RO in accordance with the Veteran's request.

The Veteran's claim for non-service connected pension with special monthly pension benefits prior to August 17, 2015 is granted. The Board found that the Veteran did not have excessive net worth and was in need of regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran's cause of death was not related to service-connected conditions, including his presumed exposure to Agent Orange. The Board denied the claims for service connection due to lack of evidence linking the fatal cancer to military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding VA treatment records and requests for additional information from the Veteran.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of migraine headaches and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a relationship between the Veteran's migraines and her service-connected hyperthyroidism.

The Veteran's thyroid disorder and respiratory disability are presumed to have been incurred during his service, while the issue of trembling is remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his exposure to Agent Orange. The claim for an earlier effective date is also pending.

The Veteran asserts that the evidence of record at the time of the October 2003 adjudication unquestionably supports a rating in excess of 10 percent for her hyperthyroidism, Graves' disease due to the types and severity of her symptoms.,The RO's failure to assign a disability rating for hyperthyroidism, Graves' disease with a separate disability rating for the post-treatment residual of hypothyroidism represents an incorrect application of the relevant regulatory provisions.

The Veteran's appeal was withdrawn regarding the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for hypertension and alternating diarrhea and constipation, as well as service connection for low white blood cell count, nausea, fever and chills, a urinary disability, constant abnormal EKGs, heart murmur and borderline cardiac enlargement, Coumadin toxicity, joint pain, constant vaginal dryness, night sweats, easy bruising/bleeding, tortous descending aorta, unstable creatinine levels, and for earlier effective dates for the award of service connection for painful scars of the anterior trunk, left upper extremity, alternating diarrhea and constipation, anemia, hyperparathyroidism, and headaches.,The Veteran's appeal was also withdrawn regarding her claims for service connection for breast cancer and residuals of a total hysterectomy.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a pinguecula is on appeal.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, diagnosed as a depressive disorder, is on appeal.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a thyroid disability, to include as secondary to herbicide exposure, is on appeal.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer, to include as secondary to herbicide exposure, is on appeal.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, to include as secondary to herbicide exposure, is on appeal.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, to include as secondary to herbicide exposure, is on appeal.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for a scar of the right lower extremity is on appeal.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for a scar of the left lower extremity is on appeal.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for the residuals of bronchopneumonia is on appeal.,The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for defective vision is on appeal.