The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for anaplastic thyroid cancer, status-post lobectomy, with subsequent laryngeal nerve paralysis as secondary to radiation exposure. The evidence did not establish that the Veteran was exposed to ionizing radiation during his military service and there is no evidence of record supporting a causal link between his diagnosed condition and his military service.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions provided were against a finding of service connection, with the VA examiner concluding that the Veteran's anaplastic thyroid cancer was not caused by his service. The private physician's opinion also did not support the claim as it was based on speculation rather than evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- anaplastic thyroid cancer, laryngeal nerve paralysis
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 17, 2015
- Citation
- 1548255
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1548255.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for cause of death and DIC benefits due to a failure to obtain a medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's conditions, including his thyroid cancer and diabetes. The appellant is seeking service connection based on Agent Orange exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was not sufficient evidence to establish a direct link between his anaplastic thyroid cancer and his military service.
- Granted
The Board has determined that there is at least a 50% chance (equipoise) that the Veteran's anaplastic thyroid cancer is due to his exposure to ionizing radiation during service aboard the USS New York City. The claim for service connection is therefore granted.
- Granted
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
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