The Veteran is seeking SMC at the rate payable under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(o) due to multiple disabilities, including PTSD and various orthopedic conditions. The Board has remanded for further action as medical examination is needed to determine if regular aid and attendance or higher-level care is required.
The deciding factor: The need for regular aid and attendance or higher-level care was not established in the current record.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Right Shoulder Arthritis, Left Shoulder Arthritis, Left Eye Injury, Left Eye Disfigurement, Lumbar Spine Injury, Right Hand Injury, Left and Right Hip Joint Disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 16, 2024
- Citation
- 24034319
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 24034319.
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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 70 percent rating prior to March 7, 2022, while other claims were denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and GAD, as well as tinnitus.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, as it needs a medical opinion addressing the nature and etiology of the condition prior to October 16, 2023.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.