The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) at the housebound rate prior to May 22, 2019 was denied as he did not meet the legal criteria for payment of compensation under that criterion. The Board found no evidence showing the Veteran is permanently and substantially confined to his home due to service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's single service-connected disability (coronary artery disease) rated at 100% was not accompanied by additional service-connected disabilities independently ratable at 60%, nor did he meet the requirement of being substantially confined as a result of his service-connected disabilities to his dwelling and immediate premises.
- Claimed conditions
- coronary artery disease, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), diabetes mellitus, type II, diabetic peripheral neuropathy sciatic nerve left lower extremity, diabetic peripheral neuropathy femoral left lower extremity, diabetic peripheral neuropathy femoral right lower extremity, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 16, 2021
- Citation
- 21008330
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 21008330.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- 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.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
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