The Board denied the Veteran's claim for SMC based on a need for regular aid and attendance of another person due to his service-connected disabilities, finding that he does not require such assistance.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that the Veteran requires regular aid and attendance as a result of his service-connected disabilities alone, given his ability to perform activities of daily living and engage in leisure pursuits despite their impact on his condition.
- Claimed conditions
- left foot disability, GERD, unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder with somatic symptoms disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20028607
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 20028607.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA opinion and a need for further examination.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for GERD is granted, and the appeal to restore a 40% rating for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc other than IVDS, central canal stenosis, and scoliosis prior to June 1, 2024 is dismissed.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him so helpless as to require the regular aid and attendance of another person, but his service-connected persistent depressive disorder alone rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted SMC at the housebound rate.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error, specifically failing to obtain an opinion on whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities contributed to his accidental drowning death.
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