The Veteran's claim for a higher rate of SMC, including consideration of SMC-N, is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to determine if his bilateral amputations are so near his hips as to prevent the use of prosthetic appliances.
The deciding factor: The February 2022 VA examination was not adequate and further evaluation is needed to determine if the Veteran's bilateral amputations meet the criteria for SMC-N.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral above the knee amputations
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 20, 2023
- Citation
- A23032809
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 A23032809.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran underwent bilateral above the knee amputations at VA facilities in September and October 2006. The Board is remanding the case to obtain additional medical records, including those from West Roxbury VAMC and Brockton VAMC, as well as SSA disability determination records. A supplemental opinion will be requested from a physician who provided an initial opinion.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
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