The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for additional aid and attendance allowance under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1114(r)(2), finding that it was not factually ascertainable that his service-connected disabilities caused a need for daily personal health care services provided by a licensed person.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause a need for such services due to his inability to handle contact lenses himself, necessitating his wife's assistance.
- Claimed conditions
- Loss of use of both hands, Loss of use of bilateral feet, Aphakic glaucoma and bilateral dislocated crystalline lenses
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 14, 2011
- Citation
- 1145696
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 1145696.
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 has remanded the Veteran's claims for a higher level of SMC and SMC based on loss of use of the lower extremities due to duty-to-assist errors, lack of sufficient medical evidence, and inextricably intertwined issues.
- Granted
The Board has granted effective dates of February 11, 2020 for service connection of loss of use of both hands and feet as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected Parkinson's disease.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for loss of use of both hands and feet, as well as higher levels of special monthly compensation based on these conditions.
- Granted
The Board granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the loss of use of both hands and feet, as the evidence supports that the Veteran has lost effective function in his extremities to a degree that would be equally well-served by amputation with suitable prosthetic appliances.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.