The Veteran is granted SMC at the housebound rate and TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to December 27, 2017 due to service-connected disabilities including schizoaffective disorder, lumbosacral degenerative disc disease, and left knee disability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (schizoaffective disorder, lumbosacral degenerative disc disease, and left knee disability) combine to a combined rating of at least 60 percent prior to December 27, 2017, which meets the statutory requirements for SMC. The Board also found that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, lumbosacral degenerative disc disease, residuals injury left knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- February 22, 2021
- Citation
- 21009409
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 21009409.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas from November 15, 2016, to August 10, 2021.,Beginning August 11, 2021, the disability caused total occupational and social impairment.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a back disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the evidence supports a link between these conditions and the Veteran's active duty service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type was dismissed due to her death during the pendency of the appeal.
- Denied
The Board found the reduction in disability evaluation from 40% to 20% was improper and void ab initio due to inadequate examination for reduction.
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