The Board denied the veteran's claim for special monthly compensation on account of loss of use of both lower extremities due to his service-connected disabilities, finding that he does not meet the criteria for SMC under VA regulations.
The deciding factor: The veteran's service-connected conditions do not result in extremely unfavorable ankylosis of joints or shortening of the lower extremities, and his loss of use is attributed to nonservice-connected conditions such as diabetic neuropathy, coronary artery disease, and deep vein thrombosis.
- Claimed conditions
- major depression with psychosis, diabetes mellitus, Type II, gunshot wound of the right hip, lumbar paravertebral myositis, dorsal scoliosis, L-5/S-1, deep vein thrombosis of the left lower extremity, deep vein thrombosis of the right lower extremity, bilateral pulmonary embolism with mild airway restriction
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 1, 2006
- Citation
- 0627704
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 0627704.
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 hypertension and diabetes mellitus to obtain further medical opinions regarding their potential relationship to toxic exposures during active service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for right foot, left elbow, left hip, left ankle, and diabetes mellitus to obtain additional medical evidence.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for cervical spine condition, diabetes mellitus, heart condition, lumbar spine condition, and urinary frequency and voiding condition as there was no evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service incurrence or aggravation.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma and remanded the claims for sinus disability, bilateral hip disability, right shoulder disability, hypertension, sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, skin disability, back disability, bilateral neurological disability of the upper extremities, and bilateral neurological disability of the lower extremities.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.