The Veteran's application for a clothing allowance was denied because the Under Secretary for Health or his designee did not certify that he used prosthetic or orthopedic appliances that tend to wear or tear on clothing due to service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Under Secretary for Health or his designee determined that the Veteran's back/ankle braces and wrist splint are softgood orthotics, which do not tend to wear or tear on clothing.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of a gunshot wound (GSW) to the right forearm with fracture of the radius and ulna, limitation of motion of the right forearm, residuals of a GSW to the right and left buttocks with muscle group XVII damage, peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity associated with diabetes mellitus, residuals of a GSW to the abdomen with muscle group XIX damage, residual scars with keloid formation of the buttocks, right forearm, and abdomen, peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 14, 2016
- Citation
- 1628192
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 1628192.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for an effective date of April 2, 2020, but no earlier, for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance is granted due to his service-connected conditions requiring regular aid and attendance.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for Total Disability Rating Due to Individual Unemployability (TDIU) is granted, effective from November 4, 2016. The TDIU was previously denied prior to this date due to the Board's failure to consider whether his service-connected disabilities could be combined and considered 'one disability' under VA regulations.
- Granted
The Veteran's SMC for regular aid and attendance is granted due to service-connected disabilities including peripheral neuropathy, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, and lower extremity neuropathy.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in the effective date of TDIU and further development is needed. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities include diabetes, prostate cancer, peripheral neuropathy, tinnitus, hearing loss, and erectile dysfunction.
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.