Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

DC 7903Endocrine38 CFR 4.119, DC 7903

An autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the thyroid gland, eventually causing hypothyroidism. Distinct from simple hypothyroidism as it is an autoimmune process that may affect other body systems. Rated under hypothyroidism criteria.

Rating Levels

Your Hashimoto’s thyroiditis causes cold intolerance, muscular weakness, cardiovascular involvement, mental disturbance including dementia, slowing of thought, and depression, and bradycardia less than 60 beats per minute.

What the VA looks for

Cold intolerance documented
Muscular weakness on examination
Cardiovascular involvement (bradycardia, cardiac enlargement)
Heart rate consistently below 60 beats per minute
Mental disturbance (dementia, slowing of thought, depression)
Refractory to thyroid replacement therapy

Common Pitfalls

⚠Not getting thyroid antibody testing (TPO, thyroglobulin antibodies) to confirm autoimmune etiology — without antibody testing, you may only be diagnosed with hypothyroidism and miss the autoimmune component.
⚠Being rated only as hypothyroidism — establish the autoimmune component for potential secondary conditions, as Hashimoto’s can trigger other autoimmune disorders.
⚠Hashimoto’s can precede other autoimmune conditions — document and claim secondaries such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or type 1 diabetes.
⚠Not connecting to environmental exposures during service that may have triggered the autoimmune response.

Related DBQ Forms

DBQ Thyroid and Parathyroid Conditions

View evidence checklist →See secondary conditions →

Condition Rating Guides

Understand what the VA looks for at each rating level — loading conditions…

Rating Levels

What the VA looks for

Cold intolerance documented
Muscular weakness on examination
Cardiovascular involvement (bradycardia, cardiac enlargement)
Heart rate consistently below 60 beats per minute
Mental disturbance (dementia, slowing of thought, depression)
Refractory to thyroid replacement therapy

Common Pitfalls

⚠Not getting thyroid antibody testing (TPO, thyroglobulin antibodies) to confirm autoimmune etiology — without antibody testing, you may only be diagnosed with hypothyroidism and miss the autoimmune component.

⚠Being rated only as hypothyroidism — establish the autoimmune component for potential secondary conditions, as Hashimoto’s can trigger other autoimmune disorders.

⚠Hashimoto’s can precede other autoimmune conditions — document and claim secondaries such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or type 1 diabetes.

⚠Not connecting to environmental exposures during service that may have triggered the autoimmune response.