The Veteran is granted annual VA clothing allowances for the years 2016 and 2018 due to her use of left knee braces, which cause wear and tear on her pants. The decision also grants a clothing allowance for the year 2016 due to her use of a low back brace.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities necessitate the use of specific prosthetic devices (left knee brace and low back brace) that cause wear and tear on her outer garments, specifically her pants. The Board found this evidence sufficient to grant clothing allowances for these years.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain with arthritis, LEFT lower extremity radiculopathy, RIGHT lower extremity radiculopathy, LEFT knee patellofemoral syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 9, 2019
- Citation
- 19135662
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,156 · Granted: 29% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19135662.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for lumbosacral strain with arthritis was granted, receiving an initial disability rating of 40 percent. The other service connection claims were denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions have been granted, including lumbar spine DDD, cervical spine disorder, LEFT shoulder disorder, bilateral ankle disorders, and basal cell carcinoma of the skin. Secondary service connection has also been established for radiculopathy in both lower extremities.
- Granted
The appellant is granted SMC(o) and SMC(r)(1) based on his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, glaucoma, foot drop conditions, sleep apnea, migraines, overactive bladder, and various musculoskeletal issues. He does not qualify for higher rates due to the anatomical loss or use of extremities.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for the evaluation of lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine was granted, while other claims were remanded.
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