The Board denied the veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) for loss of use of both feet, finding that he does not have loss of use of both feet such that no effective function remains other than what would be equally well served by an amputation stump at the site of election below the knee with use of a suitable prosthetic appliance.
The deciding factor: The veteran's gait disturbance and tardive dyskinesia do not meet the criteria for loss of use of both feet as defined in VA regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- PTSD, tardive dyskinesia of the left lower extremity, tardive dyskinesia of the right lower extremity, tardive dyskinesia of the right upper extremity, tardive dyskinesia of the left upper extremity, tardive dyskinesia of the tongue, diabetes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 28, 2002
- Citation
- 0201972
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 0201972.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and somatic symptom disorder, as well as presumptive service connection for basal cell carcinoma under the PACT Act. Service connection was denied for chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, right restless leg syndrome, left restless leg syndrome, an increased rating for psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, a left forehead surgical scar, and allergic rhinitis.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's PTSD was granted a maximum disability rating of 100 percent effective December 12, 2022. The ratings for migraines and IBS with GERD were restored from noncompensable to their previous levels.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, as the Veteran did not have a diagnosis of PTSD or any other psychiatric disorder during the appeal period.
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