The Board denied the veteran's claim for SMC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1114(s) for the period from March 17, 1997 to April 30, 1998 due to lack of additional service-connected disabilities independently ratable at 60 percent and because he was not substantially confined as a result of his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The veteran did not have additional service-connected disabilities independently rated at 60 percent during the period in question, thus failing to meet the criteria for SMC under § 1114(s).
- Claimed conditions
- rheumatoid arthritis of the cervical spine, total left hip arthroplasty, right hip total arthroplasty, postoperative right wrist condition, rheumatoid arthritis of the left shoulder, rheumatoid arthritis of the right shoulder, rheumatoid arthritis of the left hand, rheumatoid arthritis of the right hand, rheumatoid arthritis of the left wrist
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 8, 2004
- Citation
- 0428021
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 0428021.
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 remands the claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis of various body parts due to in-service exposure to hazardous materials, as an addendum opinion is needed.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis of the cervical spine was granted a 20 percent rating from December 8, 2021, to October 12, 2022, while other claims for increased ratings were denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's request to revise the February 2012 rating decision that granted a 30 percent rating for left and right hip total arthroplasty, on the basis of clear and unmistakable error (CUE).
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection of rheumatoid arthritis of the left shoulder, right shoulder, left hip, and left knee due to his withdrawal of the appeal.
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