The Veteran's need for regular aid and attendance is due to service-connected disabilities, leading to the grant of SMC based on the need for aid and attendance. The issue of entitlement to SMC by reason of being housebound is dismissed as moot.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's significant impairment in mobility and balance problems are due to his service-connected lumbosacral disability, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and left knee prothesis (total knee replacement).
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, left total knee replacement, bilateral inguinal hernia repair, several scars
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 25, 2024
- Citation
- A24013810
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 A24013810.
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 found the eligibility determination for PCAFC enrollment to be legally inadequate and remanded for a new medical opinion that adequately addresses the criteria for eligibility as set forth in VA regulations.
- Granted
For the period prior to October 29, 2021, SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) based on housebound status is denied.,For the entire appeal period, SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(l) based on need of regular aid and attendance is granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection of a low back disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, finding inadequate medical opinions due to failure to consider all relevant evidence.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions were granted effective from July 1, 2020.
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