The Veteran's SMC based on housebound status is denied as he does not have a single service-connected disability rated at 100% or TDIU due to a single service-connected disability.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has multiple service-connected disabilities, none of which alone render him unemployable. The VA examiners did not indicate that any single service-connected disability would prohibit all employment.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertensive heart disease with left ventricular hypertrophy, obstructive sleep apnea, tension migraine headaches, right shoulder tendonitis, lumbar degenerative arthritis, cervical degenerative arthritis, tinnitus, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease with hiatal hernia, tinea pedis, left ear hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 18, 2023
- Citation
- 23022758
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 23022758.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no competent evidence to support a finding that his current condition began in or as a result of service.
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