The Board has granted an earlier effective date of March 13, 2015 for the award of SMC based on aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's need for regular aid and assistance was established from this date.
The deciding factor: The evidence demonstrated that the Veteran required assistance with activities of daily living as a result of his service-connected disabilities, including schizoaffective disorder and sleep apnea, which restricted his social activity and ability to care for himself.
- Claimed conditions
- schizoaffective disorder, sleep apnea, dysphagia, tremors in the bilateral upper extremities, voiding dysfunction, tinnitus, decreased muscle strength of the right upper extremity, decreased muscle strength of the left upper extremity, abnormal gait of the right lower extremity, abnormal gait of the left lower extremity, impairment of sphincter control
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- January 9, 2024
- Citation
- 24001534
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,272 · Granted: 31% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 24001534.
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.
- 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.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran experienced tinnitus during his active duty service.
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