The Veteran is granted SMC based on the need for aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities that require personal assistance with daily activities.,SMC at housebound rate is denied as there is no single permanent disability rated 100% disabling. The Veteran's combined service-connected disabilities do not meet this requirement.
The deciding factor: The Veteran requires significant assistance in dressing, undressing, grooming, and keeping herself clean due to her service-connected lower extremity disabilities.,There is no single permanent disability rated 100% disabling that would qualify for SMC at the housebound rate. The combined effect of multiple service-connected disabilities does not meet this requirement.
- Claimed conditions
- lower extremity disabilities, diabetes mellitus, adjustment disorder with depressed mood, chronic lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, residuals of left shoulder injury, left wrist chondromalacia, right wrist tendonitis, tinnitus, gastroesophageal reflux disease, neck injury, bunion of the bilateral feet with hallux valgus, allergic rhinitis, hypothyroidism
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- November 3, 2022
- Citation
- 22062069
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 22062069.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's lumbar spine pain, allergic rhinitis, and recurrent yeast infections. The claims for service connection for generalized anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder and left knee pain were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma and remanded claims for insomnia and sleep apnea. Other conditions were denied.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
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