The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to April 10, 2018, for the award of special monthly compensation (SMC) based on need for regular aid and attendance was denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not file a formal or informal claim for SMC before April 20, 2018, and that it was not factually ascertainable he needed regular aid and attendance within one year prior to his claim.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's representative argued that an earlier effective date should be granted due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities increasing in severity during the year prior to April 20, 2018. However, the Board found no evidence of such increase and determined that the Veteran did not file a formal or informal claim for SMC before April 20, 2018.
- Claimed conditions
- Bipolar I Disorder, Residuals of Traumatic Brain Injury (including headache and blurred vision), Radiculitis, Peripheral Neuropathy of the Left Lower Extremity, Degenerative Disc Disease with Spondylolisthesis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- December 17, 2021
- Citation
- A21020213
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 A21020213.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for Bipolar I Disorder and a Functional Gastrointestinal Disorder, finding that both conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment from March 29, 2012, to April 23, 2025. The Board granted a TDIU during this period.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder and PTSD, finding that the Veteran's current mental health conditions are due to events during his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for PTSD and bipolar disorder was granted with an effective date of April 2, 2018. The decision acknowledges that the initial denial in January 2015 became final but finds that the Veteran continuously pursued his claims since filing a formal intent to file on April 2, 2018.
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