The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication due to potential eligibility for SMC under certain criteria. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are being evaluated in detail.
The deciding factor: The Court found that the record raises the possibility of the Veteran qualifying for SMC based on housebound status, necessitating a new medical examination to determine eligibility.
- Claimed conditions
- depressive and anxiety disorders associated with degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine with IVDS, bilateral plantar fasciitis with pes planus, migraine headaches, DDD of the lumbar spine with IVDS, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, to include the foot, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, to include the foot, chronic sinusitis/rhinitis, residuals of a left wrist fracture, glaucoma, malignant neoplasm of the thyroid with residual hypothyroidism, right and left knee osteoarthritis, post-operative bunionectomy, left fifth toe fracture, right knee scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 8, 2021
- Citation
- 21068027
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 21068027.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted a 50 percent rating for the Veteran's migraine headaches based on prostrating attacks occurring more than once a month and severe economic inadaptability.
- Granted
The Veteran's migraine headaches were granted a 50 percent disability rating, effective August 8, 2023, due to very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks that are productive of severe economic inadaptability.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches with an initial rating of 50 percent effective from August 10, 2022, and denied the claims for service connection for a right knee disability, obstructive sleep apnea, kidney disability, low back disability, and erectile dysfunction.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches as proximately due to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus.
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