The Board has remanded the case due to the need for an A&A examination, as scheduling was not done as per the previous directives. The appellant's claim for special monthly pension (SMP) by reason of need for aid and attendance or being housebound is still pending.
The deciding factor: The AOJ did not schedule the required A&A examination as directed in a prior remand, which is necessary to assess the severity of the appellant's conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- need for aid and attendance, being housebound
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 21, 2020
- Citation
- 20080167
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,050 · Granted: 32% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 20080167.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for the grant of SMC-T benefits based on a need for aid and attendance. The Board finds that the AOJ committed Clear and Unmistakable Error (CUE) in its December 2019 rating decision, but lacks legal authority to adjudicate CUE motions. Therefore, the claim is remanded for the AOJ to address these issues.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal to increase the level of special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance was dismissed as the July 2025 VA Form 10182 did not identify the date of the April 2023 Board decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding private treatment records not being associated with the claims file. The appellant's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) is pending and will be reconsidered after obtaining any missing records.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance of another person and being housebound was dismissed as there is no valid appeal due to concurrent election.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.