Thyroid disorder decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypothyroidism is not related to her military service, including exposure at Camp Lejeune, and it cannot be considered secondary to her service-connected breast cancer.

The Board has granted service connection for hypothyroidism, finding new and material evidence to reopen the claim. The Veteran's history of post-partum thyroiditis during service is now considered relevant in establishing her current condition.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for hypothyroidism with a benign neoplasm of the thyroid prior to July 18, 2011, and beginning September 1, 2011, was denied as there is no evidence that he experienced constipation or weight gain due to his condition. The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for pulmonary tuberculosis with secondary collapse of the left lower lung lobe remains pending.

The Board found that the Veteran's thyroid cancer did not manifest during service or within one year of discharge, and there was no evidence linking it to his military service, including exposure to ionizing radiation. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected hypothyroidism to include hyperlipidemia is currently rated at 60 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted based on the evidence of record.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, thyroid cancer (as a result of exposure to ionizing radiation), and kidney stones have all been denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection in any of these cases.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's thyroid cancer is etiologically related to her in-service exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, and thus service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for follicular cancer of the thyroid, finding that there was no positive association between his exposure to herbicide agents and his condition.

The Veteran's thyroid disease and anemia have been rated based on their current manifestations, with the thyroid disease receiving a higher rating due to its more severe symptoms. The claim for an initial compensable rating for anemia was denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a thyroid disorder, finding that there is no evidence to support a nexus between his current condition and active service or service-connected hypertension.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining records related to a claimed exposure incident involving ionizing radiation. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered based on this new information.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is not entitled to service connection for thyroiditis and tinnitus, but his bilateral hearing loss and acquired psychiatric disorder are granted. The Veteran's sinusitis claim requires additional development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as his conditions are not related to active duty service or due to an undiagnosed illness. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of a qualifying chronic disability associated with Gulf War service and thus, the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 3.317 are not for application.

The Veteran's hypothyroidism, which was rated at 30 percent prior to December 1, 2011, is now rated at 100 percent for the period from December 1, 2011 through August 29, 2013.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's prostate disorder and thyroid disorder are not related to service, as there is no evidence of radiation exposure during service. The claims for service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased ratings for diabetes mellitus, service connection for an enlarged prostate, and service connection for hypothyroidism were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating for diabetes mellitus or establish current diagnoses for the other conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including thyroid disability, throat disability, hair loss, muscle weakness, defective vision (related to TBI), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Bell's palsy, gall bladder dysfunction, recurrent allergies, sleep apnea, and hypertension. The decision found that the Veteran did not have a chronic disability manifested by these conditions during service or within one year of separation, and thus could not establish direct service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right knee injury, sleep apnea, psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), and thyroid disorder were not incurred in or related to his active service.

The Board has determined that service connection is warranted for Hashimoto thyroiditis, finding it more likely than not that the condition had its onset during military service.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to January 15, 2009, for a TDIU was denied as her service-connected disabilities did not meet the criteria for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability.