Thyroid disorder decisions — 2017

The Board found that the Veteran's service from November 28, 2000, to May 28, 2004, was discharged under Other Than Honorable (OTH) conditions due to misconduct. Therefore, this period of service is considered a bar to VA benefits.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, variously classified is related to service-connected Parkinson's disease. The Veteran does not have a current, chronic skin disability or thyroid disability that was incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's benign thyroid nodules were not related to his in-service exposures and denied service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining relevant VA treatment records and documents regarding in-service exposure to chemicals and/or herbicides. The Veteran's claims will be re-adjudicated after all requested actions are completed.

The Veteran does not have a currently diagnosed heart disability, and any complaints of chest pain are related to stress rather than a cardiac condition.,The Veteran's subclinical hypothyroidism did not manifest during service and is not causally related to the Veteran's active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed conditions, including diabetes mellitus, psychiatric disorder, heart disorder and hypertension, prostate disorder, and thyroid disorder, were not related to his active service. The evidence did not establish a nexus between any of these conditions and his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, spine disorder, left leg and foot disorder (to include as secondary to a spine disorder), intestinal blockage, hypertension, thyroid disorder, nerve damage of the bilateral hands, and nerve damage of the right leg were not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a thyroid disability with parotid gland, pernicious anemia, and peripheral neuropathy of the hands and feet. The evidence submitted did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Veteran's appeal concerning the reopening of her thyroid cancer claim has been dismissed due to her death.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability, sinusitis, and thyroid disability. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or disease that led to these disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, thyroidectomy, multiple facial scars, numbness of the right jaw, scar of the right leg, and scar of the right index finger do not render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's thyroid cancer and respiratory disability are not related to his military service, including exposure to herbicide agents or ionizing radiation. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to issues related to exposure at Edgewood Arsenal and other medical research studies.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for a hearing before the Board.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's thyroid nodular disease is not related to his in-service radiation exposure and therefore denied service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's current hypothyroidism did not begin during service and is not related to any disease, injury, or event therein. The claims for increased ratings for carpal tunnel syndrome were also denied.

The Veteran is granted SMC at the aid and attendance rate due to his blindness, which requires regular assistance from a spouse.,Service connection for loss of use of the left elbow is granted as secondary to service-connected diabetic nephropathy.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain a new VA examination and opinions regarding the severity of his service-connected psychiatric disability, as well as whether his alcohol abuse is secondary to or caused by his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's hypothyroidism was evaluated under the appropriate rating criteria, and her symptoms did not more nearly approximate those required for a higher disability rating. The Board found that she did not meet the criteria for a 30 percent or higher rating based on her subjective reports of fatigue and palpitations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for thyroid cancer, finding that it was not incurred in or related to his military service.