The Veteran's knee pain was severe and he could not make the trip to a VA facility. The Board found that there was a medical emergency, as the Veteran had not previously experienced such intense pain and it would have been hazardous for him to wait for his appointment at the VA.
The deciding factor: The severity of the Veteran's knee pain and the distance required to reach a VA facility created a situation where immediate medical attention was necessary due to the risk of harm if delayed.
- Claimed conditions
- knee pain, pain radiating up body to shoulder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19127886
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 foot pain, knee pain, low back pain, and obstructive sleep apnea due to a need for further development of evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a new VA examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's fibromyositis of spinal muscles, including without considering the ameliorative effects of medication.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's diabetes and knee pain are caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities, with obesity as an intermediate step.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person due to service-connected disabilities, as well as his claim for special monthly compensation by reason of being housebound due to service-connected disabilities. The evidence did not establish that he was in need of regular aid and attendance or permanently housebound solely as a result of his service-connected conditions.
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