The Veteran's claim for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance due to service-connected vision loss was granted effective February 14, 2017. The appeal for an earlier effective date is denied.
The deciding factor: Entitlement to SMC arose no earlier than February 14, 2017, as the Veteran did not meet the criteria for SMC prior to this date based on any other service-connected disability.
- Claimed conditions
- vision loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- October 3, 2019
- Citation
- 19176380
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.
- Granted
The Board granted compensation and service connection for various conditions, including those under 38 U.S.C. § 1151, as well as a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Partly granted
The appeal for readjudication of the claim of entitlement to service connection for vision loss has been withdrawn.,Readjudication of the claim for entitlement to service connection for asthma is granted, as new and relevant evidence has been received.,Readjudication of the claim for entitlement to service connection for hypertension is granted, as new and relevant evidence has been received.,Readjudication of the claim for entitlement to service connection for loss of taste (ageusia) and loss of smell (anosmia) is granted, as new and relevant evidence has been received.,The claim for entitlement to service connection for chloracne, to include as secondary to in-service herbicide exposure, is denied, as new and relevant evidence has not been received.,Entitlement to service connection for hypertension is granted pursuant to the PACT Act.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for neck condition, acquired psychiatric disorder, injury to head, migraines, and vision loss as the evidence did not support a finding of current disability related to service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, tinea cruris, vision loss, and bilateral hearing loss. The claim for initial ratings was also denied.
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