The Veteran's claim for SMC due to the need for aid and attendance was denied as there is no persuasive evidence showing he required regular aid and assistance due to his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not demonstrate that the Veteran needed regular aid and assistance due to his service-connected conditions, particularly given his nonservice-connected health issues and functional limitations.
- Claimed conditions
- Parkinson's disease with right hand tremors, left hand tremors associated with Parkinson's disease, degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine and lower dorsal spine, status post left distal fibula fracture with residual deformity, bilateral pes planus with calcaneal spur, kidney stones, nasopharyngeal cancer (0 percent), skin cancer (0 percent)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- May 3, 2021
- Citation
- 21026595
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 21026595.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's kidney stones and back disability are granted as service connected. The case is remanded for further development regarding the back disability.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment for the entire applicable appeal period.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's kidney stones, specifically whether they were caused or aggravated by his service-connected bladder cancer.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection for asthma and kidney stones have been granted. The appeals for service connection for CFS, strep throat, bilateral hearing loss, bronchitis, and fibromyalgia were dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal.
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