The appellant's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to care for most of his daily personal needs without regular assistance from others or to protect himself from the hazards and dangers of his daily environment, thus he is not entitled to special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance. The claimant also does not meet the criteria for an earlier effective date for the grant of special monthly compensation.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the appellant is capable of performing many activities of daily living and driving a car, visiting Camp Pendleton, shopping, dressing, and shaving without assistance from another person. He is not blind or permanently bedridden, and there is no indication he requires regular aid and attendance to protect himself from hazards and dangers in his environment.
- Claimed conditions
- Lumbar disc disease status post multiple surgeries, Involuntary bowel movements, Urinary dribbling
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 16, 2008
- Citation
- 0812688
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,480 · Granted: 26% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0812688.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
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The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
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