The Veteran's request for SMC based on aid and attendance was granted due to his service-connected right thumb disability. The claim for financial assistance for automobile and adaptive equipment or adaptive equipment only was denied as the Veteran does not have a qualifying disability under the regulations. Service connection for prostate cancer, secondary to testicular mass, is remanded for additional development.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's dominant-hand service-connected right thumb disability renders him in need of regular aid and attendance due to his inability to perform daily activities independently.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral knee arthritis, right thumb disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 31, 2018
- Citation
- 18106238
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 18106238.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for chronic dry eye, chronic fatigue syndrome, constipation, IBS, left little finger disability, left index finger disability, left thumb disability, left ring finger disability, left long finger disability, right ring finger disability, right index finger disability, right long finger disability, and right thumb disability due to an error in the initial decision. The Veteran was not provided with notice of her right to a hearing on these issues.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right lower leg disability (claimed as right shin splints) due to insufficient evidence linking his current condition to his active service. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current right leg disability and that any symptoms he experienced were related to bilateral knee arthritis, which is not presumed by VA law.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because the Board Appeal request was not timely filed within one year of the rating decision, and no good cause for extension was presented.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle and right thumb disabilities, finding that new evidence supports these claims.
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