The Board has determined that the veteran is entitled to special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his multiple disabilities, including chronic low back pain, cerebrovascular accident, seizures, high blood pressure, diverticulosis of the colon, glaucoma, cataracts, prostate cancer, arthritis, renal lithiasis, and myocardial infarcts. The decision is based on the veteran's need for regular aid and assistance due to his disabilities.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the veteran requires help with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as bathing, changing diapers, administering medications, and managing hygiene needs due to multiple medical conditions including chronic pain, neurological issues, cardiovascular disease, and psychiatric symptoms. The Board found these factors sufficient to meet the criteria for SMP based on need for regular aid and attendance.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic low back pain, status post cerebrovascular accident, minute lacunar infarct, seizure episode, high blood pressure, diverticulosis of the colon, glaucoma, early senile cataract, status post radical retro pubic prostatectomy due to adenocarcinoma of the prostate, status post radiotherapy treatment, degenerative joint disease of the shoulders and knees due to arthritis, renal lithiasis, multiple myocardial infarcts
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 16, 2006
- Citation
- 0604491
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for glaucoma and macular degeneration, finding that the evidence did not support a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for arthritis of all joints from head to toe, sleep apnea, prostate cancer, high blood pressure, a right knee disability, and a left knee disability as there was no evidence of current diagnoses or etiological relationships to the Veteran's service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of service connection for hypothyroidism, diabetes type II, high blood pressure, insomnia disorder, and sleep apnea due to a duty to assist error and because these conditions may be secondary to the Veteran's already service-connected condition of hypothyroidism.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded claims for chronic low back pain, upper back pain, right hand disability, left hand disability, headaches, and right knee disability.
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