Thyroid disorder decisions — 2020

The Board has found that there has not been substantial compliance with the prior remand directives and therefore, the case is being returned to the RO for further development. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to inadequate posthumous retrospective medical opinions provided by VA examiners.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding service connection for lumbosacral strain and degenerative arthritis of the spine, rash on hand, plantar fasciitis or pes planus, and thyroid with weight issues before the Board could review them.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and hypothyroidism due to insufficient medical opinions addressing whether these conditions were clearly and unmistakably not aggravated by active duty.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for higher disability ratings and service connection are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and clarification of diagnoses.

The Board dismissed all claims for service connection, including those related to herbicide exposure, as the Veteran's representative withdrew his appeal prior to a decision.

The Board has granted service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the left tonsil, hypothyroidism secondary to cancer treatment, and hypogeusia (diminished sense of taste) due to radiation therapy. The issues related to fibrosis of the neck, dysphagia, and caries due to dry mouth are remanded.

The Veteran's heart disorder is denied as there is no evidence of a pre-existing condition prior to his death.,The Veteran's left knee disorder is remanded for additional development due to insufficient rationale in the previous VA examination.,The Veteran's hypertension is remanded because the medical opinion did not adequately address whether it was caused by or aggravated by service-connected diabetes mellitus and/or herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's kidney disorder is remanded as there is no evidence of a pre-existing condition prior to his death.,The Veteran's thyroid disorder is remanded due to insufficient rationale in the previous VA opinion regarding its relationship with service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of June 4, 2008 for the grant of service connection for hypothyroidism and thyroid cancer residuals. The Veteran's initial claim was received more than one year after her separation from active duty.,An effective date before October 5, 2015 for Dependents’ Educational Assistance benefits is denied as there is no permanent total service-connected disability prior to that date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding her in-service injuries and exposure. The VA will obtain missing service treatment records, including those from her reserve component time, and seek clarification on any reported exposure to pollution or toxins.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for residuals of a TBI and hypothyroidism due to potential new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board has vacated the October 2019 decision and remanded the claim for a compensable rating for thyroidectomy. The Veteran's hypothyroidism was rated under Diagnostic Code 7903, but the November 2018 VA examination report did not consider all symptoms attributable to the condition.

The Veteran's claim for a rating increase for hypothyroidism is granted prior to March 1, 2020. From March 1, 2020, the claim for a compensable rating for hypothyroidism is denied. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral foot injury.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sarcoidosis, multiple myeloma, POEMS Syndrome, and a kidney condition are reopened due to the submission of new evidence. However, these claims remain denied as there is insufficient evidence linking the conditions to service.,The Veteran’s claim for service connection for a thyroid condition remains denied as well.

The Board has determined that the July 2020 Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) was inadequate as it did not consider the newly submitted evidence for the entire appeal period. The Veteran's claim is being remanded to reconsider the issue in its entirety, including the period prior to December 10, 2017.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient reasoning in the previous opinions regarding whether the Veteran's thyroid disorder is caused by herbicide exposure during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypothyroidism began during his active service and is related to it, granting service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disability, hypertension, and hypothyroidism due to inadequate examinations and failure to consider all relevant evidence.

The Board denied service connection for hypothyroid endocrine dysfunction, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not causally related to his presumed exposure to herbicide agents during active duty.

The Veteran's claims for thyroid cancer and liver cancer, both secondary to service-connected prostate cancer and due to herbicide exposure, were dismissed by the Board. The decision was vacated because the Veteran opted into the AMA processing system prior to the July 2020 denial.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on multiple conditions is granted, and he will receive VR&E services to pursue additional education up to a Bachelor’s degree in environmental science.