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Denied

The Veteran's claim for additional special monthly compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(o) and 38 U.S.C. § 1114(r)(1) was denied as he does not meet the criteria for SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(o).

The deciding factor: The Veteran's disabilities are already covered by other SMC rates, and his need for aid and attendance is based on pre-existing conditions.

Claimed conditions
Cerebrovascular accident (CVA), Peripheral neuropathy, Loss of use of right hand and right foot, Diabetes mellitus with early bilateral cataracts, renal disease/mild renal insufficiency, and proliferative diabetic retinopathy, Left upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, Hypertension, Right facial drop, Post traumatic costochondritis, Erectile dysfunction
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
None in this decision
Decision date
September 14, 2015
Citation
1539296

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 1539296.

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

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