The Veteran's claim for SMC based on the highest level of aid and attendance was granted. The Veteran meets the criteria for entitlement to this benefit due to his need for personal health-care services provided on a daily basis in his home by a licensed professional, as well as his service-connected disabilities necessitating such care.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's treating physician determined that he requires 'higher level of care' due to multiple daily injections needed for his diabetes mellitus. Without this care, the Veteran would require hospitalization or other institutional care.
- Claimed conditions
- loss of left foot to upper third of left thigh with loss of use of right foot, coronary artery disease status post myocardial infarction and coronary artery bypass graft, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction, atrial fibrillation, status post right fifth metacarpal fracture, scars
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- December 23, 2019
- Citation
- 19195998
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 19195998.
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 appeal regarding the Veteran's entitlement to an initial compensable evaluation for atrial fibrillation is remanded due to unclear evidence on whether continuous medication is required for its control.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for chronic kidney disease, atrial fibrillation, hiatal hernia, COPD, and prostate cancer as a result of toxic exposure during the Veteran's military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for hemorrhoids, scars, low back disability, left ankle disability, left and right shoulder disabilities, and left and right hip disabilities as the evidence did not show that the Veteran had these conditions or related symptoms during the appeal period.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including tension headaches, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and a bilateral hearing loss disability. The Board also denied an initial compensable rating for the Veteran's headache disability.
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