The Veteran's claim for SMC based on the need for aid and attendance or housebound status is remanded due to insufficient evidence addressing whether his service-connected disabilities required regular aid and attendance. The Board requests an addendum VA Aid and Attendance opinion.
The deciding factor: The current evidence of record does not sufficiently address whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused him to need regular aid and attendance, as evidenced by the lack of discussion in the August 2012 VA examination report regarding lay testimony from both the Appellant and the Veteran.
- Claimed conditions
- diabetes mellitus, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), right upper extremity dysfunction, right lower extremity dysfunction, diabetic nephropathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19146853
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
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 hypertension and diabetes mellitus to obtain further medical opinions regarding their potential relationship to toxic exposures during active service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for right foot, left elbow, left hip, left ankle, and diabetes mellitus to obtain additional medical evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for PTSD to be readjudicated on the merits due to new and relevant evidence.
- Partly granted
The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions were denied, except for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss disability which were granted. The veteran was also granted service connection for hypertension.
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