The Board denied the Veteran's request for an effective date prior to April 10, 2018, for the award of special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance. The decision found that no formal or informal claim was filed within one year before the receipt of his claim on April 20, 2018.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not file a formal or informal claim for SMC prior to April 20, 2018, and it was not otherwise factually ascertainable that his service-connected disabilities rendered him in need of the regular aid and attendance of another person within the year prior to the receipt of his claim.
- Claimed conditions
- Bipolar I Disorder, Residuals of Traumatic Brain Injury (including headache and blurred vision), Radiculitis, Peripheral Neuropathy of the Left and Right Lower Extremities, Degenerative Disc Disease with Spondylolisthesis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 22, 2022
- Citation
- A22023679
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 A22023679.
What this means for you
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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 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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of February 22, 2021, for the award of service connection for PTSD with bipolar I disorder is granted.,The issue of whether there was clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in the December 1, 1998 rating decision denying service connection for schizoaffective disorder is remanded.
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