The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone render him unable to care for most of his daily personal needs or to protect himself from the hazards and dangers incident to his daily environment without the assistance of others, warranting special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (primarily ischemic heart disease, PTSD, and neurological, muscular, and orthopedic impairments) render him unable to perform tasks such as dressing, feeding himself, attending to hygiene needs, managing finances, or leaving his immediate premises without assistance due to his advanced age, balance problems, and non-service connected gastrointestinal issues.
- Claimed conditions
- Ischemic heart disease, Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Residuals of frost bite to the bilateral feet, Right thigh meralgia paresthetica, Peripheral neuropathy of all four extremities, Muscular rheumatism of the left thigh muscle, Residuals of a shrapnel wound to the right wrist
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- October 5, 2012
- Citation
- 1234713
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 1234713.
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 Veteran's claim for an initial rating of 30 percent prior to July 18, 2014, and a higher than 60 percent rating thereafter for ischemic heart disease is being remanded due to incomplete evidence. The examiner needs to provide more detailed information about the severity of his service-connected condition.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the (o) rate and SMC at the (r)(2) rate, effective January 19, 2025. The decision finds that the Veteran's service-connected conditions warrant these awards due to his need for aid and attendance.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and increased rating for ischemic heart disease due to a failure by the AOJ to request SSA records, which were not available.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has identified a contradiction in the AOJ's determinations regarding the Veteran's need for aid and assistance, which requires clarification. The remanded issues are entitlement to SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another and on the basis of statutory housebound status.
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