The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation at a higher rate due to the need for aid and attendance and loss of use of both feet, resulting from service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities result in the need for regular aid and attendance and loss of use of both feet, which are separate conditions not considered twice in determining entitlement to SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(o).
- Claimed conditions
- Cerebrovascular accident associated with diabetes mellitus, Charcot left ankle, status post fusion associated with diabetes mellitus, Hypertension and renal failure and left ventricular hypertrophy associated with diabetes mellitus, Diabetes mellitus, Peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity, sciatic and external popliteal nerve associated with diabetes mellitus, Chondromalacia, left knee, Recurrent dislocation, right knee, post-operative residuals, Peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity, associated with diabetes mellitus, Peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity, associated with diabetes mellitus, Right upper extremity weakness, status post cerebrovascular accident associated with diabetes mellitus, Left cranial nerve root deficiency, status post cerebrovascular accident associated with diabetes mellitus, Erectile dysfunction associated with diabetes mellitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- June 15, 2018
- Citation
- 18111428
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 18111428.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of ambulance travel expenses incurred on June 17, 2025 due to an emergency heart attack. The ambulance service was provided by a volunteer organization and later intercepted by a higher-tier EMT company.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for chondromalacia, left knee is being remanded due to the need for a more thorough examination that considers whether the symptoms result in functional equivalent of ankylosis during flare-ups.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and thus denied his claim for service connection for cause of death.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to September 28, 2021. From September 28, 2021 to May 22, 2022, the Veteran had a combined total disability rating of 100%, which rendered the issue moot as he was already receiving SMC based on his service-connected disabilities.
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