The Board denied clothing allowance claims for lidocaine ointment and left knee braces, but granted one for a right knee brace due to service-connected conditions. The Veteran's right knee brace was used to treat his service-connected chondromalacia patella.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not use the prescribed lidocaine ointment for a service-connected skin condition and thus could not receive a clothing allowance for it. However, he wore a right knee brace due to his service-connected chondromalacia patella which caused wear on his clothes.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine degenerative disk disease, chondromalacia patella of the right knee
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 9, 2022
- Citation
- 22013507
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 22013507.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for left knee strain and chondromalacia patella of the right knee, finding that these conditions were aggravated during active service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The Board is requesting additional examinations and medical opinions to determine if his back condition and acquired psychiatric disorders are related to his military service.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and an increased initial rating of 30 percent for gastroesophageal reflux disease with eosinophilic esophagitis, while denying increased ratings for chondromalacia patella of the left and right knees, a compensable rating for three surgical scars on the left lower extremity, major depressive disorder with anxious distress, and headaches. The Board also remanded several claims for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person due to a duty to assist error in the prior VA examination.
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