The Veteran was not found to be in need of regular aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities other than the loss of use of bilateral lower extremities, which is why he did not meet the criteria for SMC(o).
The deciding factor: The May 2017 examination noted that the Veteran requires help with medication management but does not indicate any need for regular aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities other than the loss of use of bilateral lower extremities.
- Claimed conditions
- Loss of Use of Bilateral Lower Extremities (due to residuals of cold injuries), Residuals of Frostbite of the Left Upper Extremity, Residuals of Frostbite of the Right Upper Extremity, Degenerative Arthritis of the Left Knee, Residuals of Shell Fragment Wound of the Right Lower Leg (noncompensable), Forehead Scar (noncompensable), Left Knee Scar (noncompensable)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 21, 2022
- Citation
- 22035636
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 22035636.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found the records incomplete and remanded for several reasons, including obtaining updated private treatment records from the Veteran's ENT provider and VA treatment records. Additionally, a new examination is required to assess the severity of the Veteran's left knee disability due to inadequate previous examination.
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