The Veteran's service-connected coccidioidomycosis and left chest scars do not render him unable to care for his daily needs without the regular aid and attendance of another person. The Board finds that he is in need of aid and attendance due to nonservice-connected conditions, including amyloidosis.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's nonservice-connected conditions, including amyloidosis, have rendered him unable to care for himself, necessitating aid and attendance from his wife.
- Claimed conditions
- coccidioidomycosis, left chest scars, severe arthritis, multilevel degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, failing eyesight, skin disease, left radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19177520
Veterans Law Judge
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 19177520.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a special home adaptation grant as they do not result in anatomical loss or use of both hands, blindness in both eyes, deep partial thickness burns, full thickness or subdermal burns, or residuals of an inhalation injury.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a new VA medical opinion to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's lung disability, considering both direct service connection and toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) theories.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for coccidioidomycosis and conjunctivitis as the evidence did not show that these conditions began during or were otherwise caused by active service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for coccidioidomycosis and asthma, to include as secondary to coccidioidomycosis, due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error regarding verification of the Veteran's duty status in October 2009.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.