Thyroid disorder decisions — 2016

The Board has found that the Veteran's claimed conditions, including low sperm count, sigmoid polyp, skin cancer and thyroid cancer, are not related to service or exposure to radar emissions in service. The claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Board denied the appellant's claims regarding service connection for various conditions, including ischemic heart disease, mitral valve replacement, atrial fibrillation, thyroid goiter, and hypertension. The initial rating for hypertension was also denied.

The Veteran's thyroid disorder, which requires continuous medication for control and is manifested by subjective symptoms such as tachycardia, tremors, fatigability, mood swings, and hair loss, does not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, asthma, and status-post thyroid cancer. The nerve disorder of the face issue is addressed in a separate remand.

The Veteran's Grave's disease with hypothyroidism is manifested by muscular weakness, mental disturbance, and weight gain since January 1, 2014. The Board has granted an initial 60 percent rating for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right knee disorders. The Veteran's hyperthyroidism, sleep apnea, migraine headaches, right shoulder disorder, low back disorder, right foot disorder, myopia, swelling of the left testicle, and tinea versicolor are all found to be related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a cognitive disability, diagnosed as cognitive disorder not otherwise specified (NOS), based on the Veteran's exposure to mercury in service and her reported symptoms.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for various issues, including an initial rating in excess of 60 percent for idiopathic cardiomyopathy with CAD and atrial fibrillation, service connection for umbilical hernia, thyroidectomy, cervical disorder, vertigo, varicose veins, erectile dysfunction, and a skin disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, cardiac disability, diabetes mellitus, low back disability, prostate cancer, and thyroid disability, were denied as there was no evidence of exposure to ionizing radiation during service. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a diagnosis of depression or head rash at any time during the period on appeal.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn and the case is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's testicular cancer is related to his in-service exposure to ionizing radiation. However, service connection for a stomach disability and thyroid disability cannot be established as these conditions were not shown within 5 years of discharge.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypothyroidism was not incurred in or aggravated by his active service, and specifically denied service connection on a direct basis due to lack of evidence showing an association between Agent Orange exposure and thyroid disease.

The Veteran's hypothyroidism has been characterized by continuous medication required for control, but does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's hypothyroidism with multiple migratory polyarthralgias, status post thyroid destruction for Graves' disease, was rated at 30 percent disabling from February 15, 2011 to October 3, 2015. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher rating than 30 percent during this period.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for hypothyroidism, hypertension, heart disease, and hepatitis C due to new and material evidence. However, no specific rating or effective date is assigned as these issues are still under review.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired genetic damage, non-malignant thyroid nodular disease, and esophageal cancer with GERD as well as an initial compensable rating for ventral incisional hernia. The Board found that there was no current disability related to these conditions.

The Board denied a higher initial disability rating for Hashimoto's thyroiditis, finding that the condition did not warrant ratings in excess of 10 percent from July 21, 1992 to August 18, 2015 and in excess of 30 percent thereafter.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for thyroid cancer, which he claims was caused by radiation exposure during his military service. The case has been remanded to obtain a dose estimate based on available methodologies and the submitted medical articles related to possible radiation exposure.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal on all issues listed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities are denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and his military service.