The Veteran is granted SMC at the R-1 rate for special aid and attendance prior to October 3, 2017, and SMC at the R-2 rate thereafter. The decision is based on his service-connected disabilities including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and peripheral neuropathy.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's need for regular aid and assistance due to multiple service-connected conditions, particularly his diabetes mellitus, PTSD, and peripheral neuropathy, necessitates the higher level of SMC at R-2 rate.
- Claimed conditions
- Peripheral neuropathy in right lower extremity, Peripheral neuropathy in left lower extremity, Peripheral neuropathy in right upper extremity, Peripheral neuropathy in left upper extremity, Diabetes mellitus, Hypertension, Coronary artery disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- October 15, 2018
- Citation
- 18142377
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 18142377.
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.
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- Denied
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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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