The Veteran's claim for an annual VA clothing allowance due to the use of orthotic shoe inserts is denied as his service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a qualifying appliance under VA law.
The deciding factor: VA determined that the Veteran's shoe inserts did not qualify as a qualifying appliance because they were not found to cause wear and tear on 'clothing' (defined by VA as articles of clothing such as shirts, blouses, pants, skirts, shorts) due to his service-connected disabilities. The shoe inserts were found to affect only his shoes or socks.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine diskectomy (L5-S1), left leg radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 14, 2018
- Citation
- 1828592
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 1828592.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted the restoration of entitlement to total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA), effective May 1, 2020. The decision was made due to procedural errors in the previous termination decisions.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back condition, left leg radiculopathy, and right leg radiculopathy as secondary to a lower back condition. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or caused by military service.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance or at the housebound rate due to his inability to dress, undress himself, keep himself clean and presentable, require frequent adjustment of prosthetic appliances, feed himself, attend to the wants of nature, or have an incapacity requiring assistance from others.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error in obtaining an adequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is related to service. The case will be returned for further action.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.