Thyroid disorder decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the service connection of the claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for cholecystectomy, Grave's disease, hyperthyroidism, thyroid gland removal, and left eye disorder including cataract removal due to potential service connection based on exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam or environmental toxins such as burn pits in Southwest Asia.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for fibromyalgia was denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,Multiple issues were remanded, including heart disorder, prostate disorder, diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorder, headache disorder, skin disability, sinus disorder with allergies, hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, gout, left shoulder disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left leg disability, and right leg disability.

Service connection for hypothyroidism and hypertension is granted due to exposure to herbicide agents during service. Service connection for atrial fibrillation is restored with a 30% disability rating effective September 3, 2021.,Service connection for hypertension is granted due to exposure to herbicide agents during service. The prior reduction of the atrial fibrillation rating from 30% to 10% is restored.,

The Veteran's representative withdrew the appeals for service connection for hypothyroidism and schizoaffective disorder, leading to their dismissal.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of non-VA medical care received for Propecia and Bladuril is denied as he does not meet the criteria in VA regulations.

The Veteran's hypothyroidism is granted service connection on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicide agents. The claim for essential tremors remains pending as the VA examination report was inadequate.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for anemia, a skin disability, and thyroid disease were denied as there was no evidence of in-service exposure or injury that could be linked to these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for hypothyroidism, vocal cord damage, dry mouth disability, and dysphagia as the evidence did not show exposure to herbicide agents or other presumptive conditions during active duty.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of compliance with prior remand directives regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for a thyroid disability, other than hypothyroidism. A new opinion is needed that addresses whether the Veteran's in-service herbicide agent exposure led to his current thyroid disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right and left upper extremity disorders due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran is not presumed exposed to herbicide agents, but his conditions may be related to diabetes or Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's papillary thyroid cancer is presumed to be due to herbicide exposure, but the Board has decided that a VA examination should be scheduled to determine if it is related to his service.

The Veteran's service-connected hypothyroidism is granted on a presumptive basis due to herbicide agent exposure in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and a higher initial rating for hypothyroidism due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date based on symptoms prior to June 2018, while the RO found service connection granted on June 14, 2018.

The Board has remanded the claims for sinusitis and hypothyroidism due to insufficient evidence in the VA examination report. The Veteran's service connection claims are being reviewed again with a new opinion.

The Board granted service connection for hypothyroidism, hypogeusia and xerostomia, and chronic renal disease on a secondary basis to service-connected squamous cell cancer of the tongue. The effective dates are set at July 12, 2013, April 28, 2011, and May 19, 2011 respectively.,The Veteran's claims for hypothyroidism, hypogeusia and xerostomia, and chronic renal disease were filed in March 2011. The earliest dates of entitlement arose on July 12, 2013, April 28, 2011, and May 19, 2011 respectively.

The Board has found that the Veteran's hepatic and splenic calcifications, thyroid nodules, asthma, and larynx disability (claimed as hoarseness) are not related to his active service. The claims for these conditions have been remanded for further development.

The Veteran's hyperparathyroidism was well-controlled with medication from December 10, 2017, to February 25, 2022. The condition did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under either old or new VA rating criteria.,Since February 26, 2022, the Veteran's hyperparathyroidism has resulted in hypercalcemia but does not meet the criteria for a 100% disability rating.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development and a new examination due to the Veteran's assertions of exposure to jet fuel, 'TCE' from jet fuel, and/or JP5 during active service. The VA examiner will determine if her current thyroid disorder is related to these exposures or if it is proximately due to or aggravated by her service-connected somatic symptom disorder with predominant pain with depressive episodes.

The Veteran's hypothyroidism is being remanded for further evaluation due to a lack of information in the previous VA examination.