The Veteran was granted SMC at the housebound rate effective December 10, 2010 due to service-connected major depression.,SMC for loss of use of both feet was granted effective December 3, 2015.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities required aid and attendance as well as loss of use of both lower extremities.
- Claimed conditions
- Major Depression, Loss of Use of Both Lower Extremities, Tension Headaches, Radiculopathy Right Upper Extremity, Degenerative Arthritis and Degenerative Disc Disease of the Thoracolumbar Spine, Radiculopathy Left Upper Extremity, Degenerative Arthritis of the Cervical Spine, Radiculopathy Right Lower Extremity, Radiculopathy Left Lower Extremity, Scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- January 3, 2022
- Citation
- 22000140
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,828 · Granted: 32% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 22000140.
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.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, Major Depression, and Panic Disorder due to his withdrawal of these issues prior to a decision being made.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's PTSD rating was reduced from 70 percent to 50 percent, effective February 20, 2025. The Board finds the reduction improper and restores the 70 percent disability rating for PTSD.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted SMC at the rate of 50% for his service-connected conditions from April 20, 2020 to June 7, 2021.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, lumbar disc disease, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, bilateral knee strains, residuals of a left ankle concussion, and bilateral pes cavus are found to be related to his obstructive sleep apnea. His claim for restoration of a 30 percent evaluation for degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine is granted.
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