Thyroid disorder decisions — 2019

The Veteran's tinea cruris is not present over at least 5 percent of the body or exposed areas and has not required intermittent systemic therapy during the past 12-month period. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II and thyroid cancer are alleged to be due to exposure to herbicides and other dangerous chemicals, but service personnel records appear incomplete.

The Veteran's appeal for eosinophilia was dismissed. The thyroid condition is granted, and the liver disorder remains pending.,A VA examination will be scheduled to determine if the Veteran has a liver condition related to service or due to their thyroid condition.

The Veteran’s appeals for service connection for Grave's disease and thyroid removal have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's thyroid disability. The claim will be returned for further examination and opinion.

The Board has granted a 100 percent rating for the Veteran's thyroid condition from July 31, 2002 to January 28, 2016.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for skin cancer, hyperthyroidism (claimed as Grave’s disease, thyroid problems and Raynaud’s disease), an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and hypertension have been dismissed. The remaining issues of service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity neurological disorders and hypertension, and an increased rating for ischemic heart disease (IHD) are remanded.

The petition to reopen the claim of service connection for a bilateral knee disorder is granted. Service connection for thyroid, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, chronic renal disease, erectile dysfunction, vertigo, and chronic fatigue syndrome are denied.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim due to its inextricability with the newly assigned service-connected conditions and hearing loss rating. The Veteran's other claims for service connection will be addressed separately.

The Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative arthritis is granted service connection. The appeals for other conditions are dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinion regarding whether hypothyroidism is secondary to service-connected hyperprolactinemia. An addendum opinion from a VA examiner is needed.

The Board has granted service connection for Burkitt’s lymphoma of bone marrow and its secondary effects on the Veteran's lower extremities. The issues of branch retinal vein occlusion left eye, chronic kidney disease, and secondary hyperparathyroidism are remanded.,Service connection is granted for peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities as secondary to service-connected Burkitt’s lymphoma.

The Board dismissed the case for service connection of hypothyroidism as it had been granted in a previous decision. The irritable bowel syndrome was granted an initial rating of 30 percent, effective June 12, 2015. Hemorrhoids were rated at 20 percent prior to June 12, 2015 and the impairment of sphincter control associated with hemorrhoids received a separate 10 percent rating as of that date.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his claimed disorders and their relationship to in-service exposures.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals of all issues on appeal, including service connection claims for various conditions and disabilities. The Board dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of thyroid cancer was reopened and granted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of skin cancer is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims due to an incomplete record from Reynolds ACH for the period of 2003-2008, and the need to notify the Veteran and his representative if any requested records are unavailable.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude her from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation consistent with her education and work experience, thus denying her claim for TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for thyroid disorder, papillary carcinoma of the right breast, and radiation pneumonitis as these conditions are not found to be related to service.,The Veteran died in January 2013 due to complications from his pre-existing conditions. The Board did not find any service-connected condition to have contributed substantially or materially to cause death.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for hypothyroidism and service connection for degenerative joint disease of the knees as secondary to his hypothyroidism are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining records from Pensacola Naval Hospital.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Creutzfeld-Jacob disease was denied. The right ankle disability is granted with a rating of 20 percent, but the left foot and psychiatric disabilities are remanded due to lack of current diagnoses or evidence linking them to service.