The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, aside from his ischemic optic neuropathy, are of sufficient severity to warrant entitlement to SMC at the (l) level based on the need for A&A due to these disabilities alone. The claim for service connection for minimal age acquired osteoarthritis is being remanded for further development.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's other service-connected conditions render him in the need of regular aid and attendance, warranting SMC at the (l) level based on his combined schedular evaluation of 100%.
- Claimed conditions
- Ischemic Optic Neuropathy, L5 Degenerative Spondylolisthesis with L5-S1 Fusion, Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood and Anxiety Disorder with PTSD, Compression Fracture of T12-L1, Urethral Stricture, Donor Site Left Iliac Crest
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 31, 2015
- Citation
- 1537172
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 1537172.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a disability rating in excess of 70 percent for generalized anxiety disorder, denied compensable ratings for external hemorrhoids and sinusitis, granted service connection for migraine headaches secondary to sinusitis, and granted service connection for left foot and left shoulder conditions. The claims for increased ratings for urethral stricture, lumbosacral strain, and ulnar neuropathy were remanded.
- Granted
The Board has granted a rating of 20 percent for the Veteran's erectile dysfunction with urethral stricture, finding that nerve damage from his prostatectomy constitutes an internal penile deformity.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings of PTSD, ischemic optic neuropathy, coronary artery disease, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity have been dismissed as withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeal for service connection for an anxiety disorder has also been dismissed as withdrawn.,Beginning May 18, 2018, the Veteran is in receipt of a total schedular rating due to his service-connected disabilities. The issue of entitlement to TDIU beginning May 18, 2018, was dismissed as moot.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his cerebral vascular accident residuals and peripheral neuropathy, rendered him in need of aid and attendance prior to July 22, 2016. Since then, he has required assistance due to the severity of his conditions.
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