The Veteran's disability picture encompasses a variety of significant multi-system disabilities, factually rendering her more often than not unable to safely perform virtually all activities of daily living without regular assistance from another person. The Board grants special monthly pension benefits based on the need for regular aid and attendance.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has multiple serious disabilities that have worsened over time, including severe arthritis, heart problems requiring multiple surgeries, and gastrointestinal issues. Her home environment poses hazards, and she requires significant assistance with daily activities such as housekeeping, meal preparation, and hygiene due to her physical limitations.
- Claimed conditions
- heart valve replacement, depression, chronic renal failure, hypertension, hiatal hernia, peptic ulcer disease, lumbar spine degenerative changes, rotosciolosis of the lumbar spine, spurs on the right at T-12-L1 and L-1/L-2, vacuum disc phenomena at L-2/L-3 and L-3/L-4, cervical disc degeneration, multiple joint degenerative disease, knee joint replacement, gout, hyperlipidemia, hypothyroidism, esophageal stricture
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 1, 2009
- Citation
- 0920336
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 0920336.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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