The Veteran's bilateral hip and knee disorders do not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance or being housebound.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s medical conditions, while limiting his mobility, do not necessitate the level of assistance required to qualify for SMP benefits under VA regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hip Disorders, Knee Disorders (including gout)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 8, 2017
- Citation
- 1703752
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 1703752.
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 remands the claims for service connection for various conditions due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, as correctable evidence was not obtained and VA examinations were inadequate.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for PTSD and migraines, as well as service connection for low back, bilateral hip, and fibromyalgia disorders are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, residuals of cold injury to the feet, and other psychiatric disorders were denied as there was no evidence of a verified in-service stressor or diagnosis of residuals of cold injury to the feet. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen these claims.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for gout was denied as there is no evidence showing that his gout initially manifested during service, nor did it have a nexus with service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for bilateral DJD of the elbows, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is related to in-service degenerative changes. Service connection was denied for other conditions as they are not shown to be directly related to service or secondary to a service-connected disability.
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