Thyroid disorder decisions — 2017

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his VA and SSA records, including treatment from the Iron Mountain VAMC and Milwaukee VAMC. The TDIU claim is inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claim.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current bilateral hearing loss disability or thyroid disorder, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support service connection for either condition.

The Veteran's hypothyroidism was not incurred during service or due to a service-connected condition, and the Board finds no evidence of secondary service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted for urinary incontinence and denied for presbyopia. The remaining issues are addressed below.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including hypertension and ischemic heart disease, prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to August 28, 2015. The Board granted a TDIU rating based on this finding.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection or an increase in disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an endocrine disorder, including thyroid disease and fatty liver was denied. His bilateral hearing loss prior to September 2, 2015 was not shown to be worse than Level II in either ear, thus no compensable rating is warranted. From September 2, 2015 onward, his hearing loss did not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted effective May 2016. The Board also dismissed the issues of service connection for a right shoulder disability and bilateral hearing loss as they were withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals, status post thyroid cancer and total laryngectomy and partial pharyngectomy with vocal prosthesis.

The Board has granted service connection for mycosis fungoides as a manifestation of a chronic multi-symptom illness, but denied service connection for overactive thyroid. The Veteran's skin condition other than mycosis fungoides remains pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for her service-connected hypothyroidism, glaucoma with cataracts, and left thumb disability. The evidence did not support a higher rating for any of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for thyroid cancer, including as due to in-service ionizing radiation exposure. The evidence did not support a link between his thyroid cancer and active service.

The Veteran's hypertension, diabetes mellitus type 2, parathyroid disorder, pituitary adenomas (tumor), restless and shaky leg syndrome, and sleep apnea have been granted service connection based on direct evidence of a nexus to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and determining the nature of his exposure to ionizing radiation in service. A VA examination will also be conducted to determine the etiology of his pituitary tumor resection residuals and thyroid condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's failure to report for scheduled VA examinations. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU effective March 16, 2009. The Board has determined that the earliest possible effective date for this award is October 27, 2007.

The Board has granted a 100% rating for hypothyroidism and a 10% rating for bilateral hearing loss effective from August 8, 2013 to December 28, 2015. The Veteran's other periods of service connection have been correctly rated as noncompensable.

The Veteran is unemployable due to her service-connected disabilities prior to July 2, 2013. The Board has granted an extraschedular TDIU based on the impact of her cervical spine disorders and associated radiculopathies.

The Board has granted a maximum 50 percent rating for the Veteran's migraine headaches and has also granted entitlement to Total Disability due to Individual Unemployability (TDIU). The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been withdrawn.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, but he is now granted a 10% disability rating since August 25, 2010. The claim for service connection for a thyroid condition due to ionizing radiation exposure has been reopened and is considered on the merits.