The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance, which is sufficient to grant special monthly compensation (SMC) based upon the need for aid and attendance.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s service-connected disabilities caused significant functional limitations that required regular aid and attendance on a daily basis.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar degenerative joint and disc disease with spondylolisthesis, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy associated with lumbar degenerative joint and disc disease with spondylolisthesis, acid reflux disease, rheumatoid arthritis, colon polyps
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- December 18, 2019
- Citation
- 19195045
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,104 · Granted: 28% (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 19195045.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis disability rating is being remanded for additional development due to significant weight loss and anemia.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and hepatic steatosis have been denied. The claim for rheumatoid arthritis is being remanded.,Service connection has not been established for the claimed conditions.
- Partly granted
Service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogren's syndrome is granted.,Service connection for hypertension is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset in service or as a result of a disease or injury in active service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left knee disability, but denied her claims for acid reflux disease and urinary incontinence. The decision also remanded her bilateral shoulder disabilities.
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