The Veteran's appeal for SMC at the housebound rate has been dismissed as the AOJ granted the claim and assigned a full grant of benefits.
The deciding factor: The AOJ awarded service connection for major depressive disorder with an initial disability evaluation of 70 percent effective March 13, 2018, which included SMC at the housebound rate from that date. The Veteran's appeal was moot as his request for higher level review and subsequent grant of SMC met the benefit sought.
- Claimed conditions
- Major depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- December 2, 2019
- Citation
- A19003233
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 A19003233.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted initial ratings of 40 percent for lumbar spine disorder, 70 percent for major depressive disorder, and 40 percent for left lower extremity radiculopathy. TDIU and SMC based on housebound status were also granted.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, currently diagnosed as other specified trauma and stressor related disorder and major depressive disorder.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) but denied service connection for PTSD and a higher rating for the unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder/major depressive disorder/insomnia.
- Denied
The Board denied an effective date earlier than April 9, 2024, for the assignment of a 70 percent evaluation for insomnia disorder with generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder.
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