The Veteran's earlier effective date for special monthly compensation based on regular aid and attendance/housebound is granted to June 23, 1999, the date VA received notification that he was legally blind.
The deciding factor: The Veteran became legally blind as of June 23, 1999, which triggered entitlement to SMC at the (l) level based on regular aid and attendance/housebound.
- Claimed conditions
- Stargardt disease
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- September 30, 2020
- Citation
- 20063886
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 20063886.
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 Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and a need for further examination. The Veteran's Stargardt disease is being reviewed, but it is not clear if it existed prior to service or was aggravated by service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that the August 2021 VA opinion is inadequate and remands the case for an addendum opinion to address the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral eye disorder.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for Stargardt disease and acoustic neuroma, both of which were not found to be related to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing proper notice regarding secondary service connection.
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