The Board has granted the appellant's claim for nonservice-connected death pension at the rate for a surviving spouse with no dependents and with the need for aid and attendance, effective August 2, 2019. The decision is based on her income exceeding the maximum annual improved pension rates due to unreimbursed medical expenses.
The deciding factor: The appellant's income exceeded the maximum annual improved pension rate due to unreimbursed medical expenses that were in excess of 5% of the applicable maximum annual pension rate.
- Claimed conditions
- blindness
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 21, 2020
- Citation
- A20015839
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 3,319 · Granted: 25% (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 A20015839.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or special home adaptation, as they do not qualify for permanent and total disability due to loss of use of extremities or anatomical regions.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The appeal is dismissed as moot because the Veteran's past due benefits were already awarded and no fees were withheld or paid, so there are no remaining disputes to be adjudicated.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for AVM, blindness (secondary to AVM), and tinnitus due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions occurred during active duty for training.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted the request to readjudicate the claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151, but denied the claim itself.
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