The Board denied the Veteran's claims for clothing allowances due to wear and tear of his clothing from right knee, left knee, and back braces because there was no documentation that he used these braces during the preceding year. The braces were found not to be rigid or damaging enough to qualify for a clothing allowance.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not provide specific information about the damage caused by the braces on his clothing.
- Claimed conditions
- posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), post-traumatic arthritis of the right patella with chronic knee pain, residuals of Lisfranc fracture with pes planus and osteoarthritis of the right foot, left knee osteoarthritis, erectile dysfunction, right knee limitation of flexion and extension, residual surgical scars of the right and left knee, scar of the right foot
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 7, 2019
- Citation
- 19101350
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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of October 17, 2022, for the grant of service connection for PTSD.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for headaches and increased ratings for left shoulder rotator cuff tear, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, hypertension, and left and right leg restless leg syndrome. The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeal for an increased rating of his service-connected PTSD during a Board hearing, and the appeal is therefore dismissed.
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.