The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for financial assistance in the purchase of an automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment, or for adaptive equipment only.
The deciding factor: The Veteran does not have a service-connected disability manifested by either the loss or permanent loss of use of one or both feet; loss or permanent loss of use of one or both hands; permanent impairment of vision of both eyes with central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with corrective glasses, or central visual acuity of more than 20/200 with a field defect in which the peripheral field has contracted to such an extent that the widest diameter of visual field subtends an angular distance no greater than 20 degrees in the better eye; ankylosis of one or both knees or one or both hips; or shortening of a lower extremity of 3.5 inches or more.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative and post traumatic disc changes of the lumbosacral spine with bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, Osteoarthritis of the bilateral hips, Osteoarthritis of the bilateral knees, Hypertension, Depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 17, 2017
- Citation
- 1733801
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 1733801.
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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Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and has remanded the issue of an increased rating for skin condition.
- Granted
The Board has restored the Veteran's 10% rating for hypertension effective December 1, 2025 and denied a rating in excess of 10%. The reduction from 10% to noncompensable was not proper.
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