The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for SMC based on aid and attendance or housebound status due to his disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran does not have a single 100% rated disability, nor does he have additional disabilities independently rated at 60% or more. His service-connected conditions do not require regular aid and assistance from others.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hearing, Balance issues, Locomotion difficulties
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19185037
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 3,217 · Granted: 46% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19185037.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found the eligibility decision for PCAFC to be legally inadequate and remanded for further development, including a new medical determination of the Veteran's need for personal care services and supervision.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran was found to be unable to self-sustain in the community due to his cognitive decline and multiple physical disabilities, requiring continuous personal care services each time he completed three or more activities of daily living.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities met the percentage requirements for a schedular TDIU on August 7, 2020, and he was precluded from securing and following substantially gainful employment as of this date. An effective date of August 7, 2020, is granted for the grant of TDIU.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's residuals of traumatic brain injury are currently rated at 40 percent, and the Board has denied a higher evaluation. The issue of SMC is remanded for further development.
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