The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding radiation exposure and service connection for a multinodular goiter.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinion was based on an erroneous non-medical determination, specifically regarding the Veteran's exposure to ionizing radiation during service at Eniwetok Atoll.
- Claimed conditions
- multinodular goiter, parathyroid adenoma
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 11, 2019
- Citation
- 19153841
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,500 · Granted: 29% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19153841.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected hypothyroidism, multinodular goiter, and thyroid follicular lesion of undetermined significance was denied. The effective date remains the date of receipt of the VA Form 21-526EZ, November 7, 2024.
- Granted
The Veteran's hyperthyroidism with thyroid enlargement, thyroiditis and multinodular goiter is related to service exposure during his tours in Iraq. The Board found the evidence at least in equipoise and granted service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to duty-to-assist errors and inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran's thyroid disability is related to his active service, while the right knee disability may be related to his service-connected left knee disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board dismissed the appeal for an increased rating for PTSD associated with Parkinson's disease and remanded the claim for service connection for a thyroid disability, to include multinodular goiter and/or hypothyroidism.
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