Board Decision Lookup › Thyroid

How the Board ruled on thyroid claims, 2021–2025

How the Board of Veterans' Appeals ruled on thyroid service-connection claims in 2021–2025, for every theory and secondary pairing we publish. Board-appealed cases only, counted per claim. Last updated October 4, 2026.

These are past Board decisions, not a prediction for any individual case, and not legal advice. The percentage is among DECIDED cases; cases sent back to VA (remanded) are counted separately.

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Thyroid (direct service connection)

Direct (began in or was caused by service), or theory not stated in the Board order

49.9% granted of 543 decided cases (margin of error 45.7–54.1%). 271 granted, 272 denied, 642 sent back to VA (remanded, not decided), 109 dismissed.

What convinced the Board in granted cases

  • The Board credited opinions, VA or private, that explained the link with medical literature, such as herbicide dioxins disrupting thyroid function, and applied it to the veteran. (4 of 10 decisions read; e.g. 21061109, A23025321, 22024897)
  • Negative VA opinions lost weight when built on wrong facts or the wrong question: checking only the presumptive list, addressing the wrong thyroid condition, or demanding an in-service diagnosis. (5 of 10 decisions read; e.g. 22024897, 23050932, A24051165)
  • Credible testimony about thyroid symptoms during service, or being told of a thyroid problem then, supported a grant. (3 of 10 decisions read; e.g. 24000799, A24026668, 21051520)

Common reasons in denied cases

  • The only competent medical opinions were against the claim, such as a detailed VA opinion tying the condition to autoimmune disease, or no medical opinion suggested any link. (4 of 9 decisions read; e.g. 24025192, A21016811, 21043549)
  • Service records showed no thyroid problem and it was diagnosed years later; later lay claims of earlier onset were not credible or not competent. (5 of 9 decisions read; e.g. 21069003, 21007784, A21016811)
  • There was no current thyroid diagnosis during the claim period. (3 of 9 decisions read; e.g. 24030170, A25010667, 23030226)

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Thyroid (exposure claims)

Exposure (e.g. Agent Orange, Camp Lejeune, burn pits)

57.1% granted of 112 decided cases (margin of error 47.9–65.9%). 64 granted, 48 denied, 146 sent back to VA (remanded, not decided), 6 dismissed.

What convinced the Board in granted cases

  • Most grants were for hypothyroidism in veterans with herbicide exposure, because hypothyroidism was added to the presumptive list effective January 2021, so no medical opinion linking it to service was needed. (7 of 10 decisions read; e.g. 24016757, 21004304, 22042717)
  • For Thailand service, the Board accepted the veteran's credible account of duties at or near the base perimeter as proof of herbicide exposure, even when records research could not confirm it. (4 of 10 decisions read; e.g. 23002065, 21004304, A24041279)
  • The Board would not let VA overcome the presumption with thin evidence, such as a bare mention of thyroid surgery or later radioactive iodine treatment, without sound medical reasoning. (2 of 10 decisions read, few decisions; e.g. A24059788, A24026180)

Common reasons in denied cases

  • The Board denied when a VA examiner gave a reasoned opinion, using radiation dose, medical literature, or other risk factors, and any favorable treating opinion had no file review or rationale. (5 of 7 decisions read; e.g. 21039057, 21004947, 21029416)
  • Claims failed when the thyroid condition was not on the presumptive list for that exposure, such as hyperthyroidism or thyroid cancer, and no medical opinion or study linked it to service. (3 of 7 decisions read; e.g. 23053694, 21067457, 21065800)

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Thyroid secondary to any service-connected condition

Secondary (caused or worsened by a service-connected condition)

40.7% granted of 54 decided cases (margin of error 28.7–54.0%). 22 granted, 32 denied, 98 sent back to VA (remanded, not decided), 6 dismissed.

What convinced the Board in granted cases

  • The Board granted when a private doctor's opinion, based on an accurate history and sometimes citing medical studies, linked the thyroid condition to a service-connected condition, and found it more probative than negative VA opinions. (4 of 9 decisions read; e.g. 23027781, A24046672, 21014726)
  • Negative VA opinions lost weight when they were conclusory with no rationale, did not address submitted articles or prior medical findings, or ignored part of the veteran's history. (3 of 9 decisions read; e.g. 23050071, A25025632, 21014726)
  • Thyroid conditions were granted when records showed they resulted from treating a service-connected condition, such as radiation for neck or laryngeal cancer, or medication for a service-connected mental disorder. (4 of 9 decisions read; e.g. A23000731, A25014141, 23053022)

Common reasons in denied cases

  • Most denials rested on a thorough VA opinion with an adequate rationale, for example that diabetes does not cause goiter or that thyroid levels stayed stable, with no persuasive opinion against it. (6 of 11 decisions read; e.g. 24002465, 21025238, 21009614)
  • The veteran's own belief that a service-connected condition or exposure caused the thyroid problem was not competent medical evidence, since the question is medically complex. (2 of 11 decisions read, few decisions; e.g. 21025238, 23026944)
  • Other claims failed because there was no thyroid diagnosis, the primary condition was not service-connected, or weight gain was not shown to be caused by a service-connected condition. (4 of 11 decisions read; e.g. A24002846, A24040802, 22021594)

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Other conditions

Percentages are shown only for combinations with at least 30 decided cases (granted + denied). Named secondary pairings with 10–29 decided cases are listed as "small sample" with counts only. "ANY service-connected condition (all combined)" pools every secondary claim for that condition. Other combinations exist, but there are too few decided cases to report. Each claim is counted by the Board's ruling on that specific claim (a decision covering several issues is split by issue). Remanded = sent back to VA for more work, not decided. "What convinced the Board" summarizes a reading of up to 25 granted and 25 denied Board decisions for each claim type, with the decision numbers shown so any point can be checked. Board-appealed cases only, not regional-office decisions. Information only, not legal advice. Flat Rate Nexus is a private medical practice, not affiliated with the VA.

Source: Board of Veterans' Appeals decisions, 2021–2025. Last updated October 4, 2026. flatratenexus.com · Privacy · Terms