The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected conditions render him so helpless as to require regular aid and attendance of another person, granting his claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance.
The deciding factor: The evidence demonstrated that the Veteran required assistance with activities of daily living due to balance issues and fine motor skills impairment, which prevented him from performing necessary functions without significant help from others.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, residuals cold weather injury to right hand, residuals cold weather injury left hand, residuals cold weather injury to right foot, residuals cold weather injury left foot, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- March 19, 2020
- Citation
- 20020479
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 20020479.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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