The Veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance is denied as there is no evidence of helplessness or inability to protect oneself from daily hazards.
The deciding factor: The Veteran does not require assistance with routine activities of daily living and can safely perform all self-care functions without assistance, demonstrating independence in his daily life.
- Claimed conditions
- End stage renal disease, Gouty arthritis of the wrists, Status post left knee replacement, Diabetes mellitus, Hypertension, Right knee arthritis, Depression, Atrial fibrillation with pacemaker placement, Obstructive sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19104201
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension, to include as secondary to left orchiectomy, for further development in accordance with the PACT Act.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple myeloma, back disability (secondary to multiple myeloma), and depression, with an effective date of January 26, 2021. The decision also remanded claims related to breast cancer, DEA benefits, and initial ratings.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities and denied higher ratings for several service-connected conditions.
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