The Veteran's widow is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance of another person. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for loss of balance due to lack of a Statement of the Case.
The deciding factor: The Veteran died in July 2015, and his widow is substituted as the appellant. The Veteran was found to be in need of regular aid and attendance prior to death due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- nephropathy with hypertension associated with diabetes mellitus type II, mood disorder, left great toe amputation associated with left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right great toe amputation associated with right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy with 2nd toe amputation, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, diabetes mellitus type II, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy with 2nd toe amputation associated with diabetes mellitus type II, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy associated with diabetes mellitus type II, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy associated with diabetes mellitus type II, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy associated with diabetes mellitus type II, tinnitus, retinopathy associated with diabetes mellitus type II, Charcot arthropathy of the left foot associated with diabetes mellitus type II, Charcot arthropathy of the right foot associated with diabetes mellitus type II
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 25, 2018
- Citation
- 18144222
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 18144222.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
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