The Veteran's claim for SMC at the (k) rate due to loss of use of hands and feet was denied as he does not have loss of use of a hand or foot such that he has no effective function remaining other than what would be equally well served by an amputation stump with prosthesis.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's vertigo and gait issues do not meet the criteria for loss of use of hands or feet as defined in VA regulations, despite his service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Meniere's syndrome or endolymphatic hydrops with bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, posttraumatic stress disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 5, 2023
- Citation
- A23034654
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 A23034654.
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
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- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for diabetes type II as secondary to a service-connected disability and an initial 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder, subject to the regulations governing the award of monetary benefits.
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