The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (including PTSD, CAD, and peripheral neuropathy) made it impossible for him to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to September 30, 2016.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including his PTSD, CAD, and peripheral neuropathy, rendered him unable to work due to their combined effects on his physical and mental abilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Coronary artery disease (CAD), Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy (PN) all radicular groups, Right lower extremity PN sciatic nerve, Left lower extremity PN sciatic nerve, Left upper extremity PN all radicular groups, Diabetes mellitus (DM), Left lower extremity PN femoral nerve, Right lower extremity PN femoral nerve
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 90%
- Decision date
- May 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19135664
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,162 · Granted: 21% (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 19135664.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for SMC based on aid and attendance from June 1, 2011, to May 24, 2017, finding that his need for regular aid and attendance was not established during this period.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's current coronary artery disease with acute, subacute, or old myocardial infarction with coronary stent is being remanded for further evaluation due to the lack of a medical nexus between his service-connected hypertension and his heart condition.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the (o) rate and SMC at the (r)(2) rate, effective January 19, 2025. The decision finds that the Veteran's service-connected conditions warrant these awards due to his need for aid and attendance.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has identified a contradiction in the AOJ's determinations regarding the Veteran's need for aid and assistance, which requires clarification. The remanded issues are entitlement to SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another and on the basis of statutory housebound status.
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