The Veteran's service-connected disabilities require the need for regular aid and attendance, but do not meet the criteria for SMC based on housebound status.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has multiple service-connected disabilities rated at less than 100 percent, preventing him from meeting the requirement of having a single disability rated as 100% disabling to qualify for SMC at the housebound rate.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral pes planus, thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis, bilateral lower extremity neuropathy, bilateral knee disabilities, bilateral ankle condition, bilateral hip strain, bilateral tinea pedis, bilateral hallux valgus, scars fifth bilateral toes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- October 17, 2024
- Citation
- A24066542
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 709 · Granted: 38% (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 A24066542.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, diabetes mellitus type II, and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy. The Veteran's cause of death due to these conditions is also recognized.
- Denied
The Board denied the Appellant's requests for earlier effective dates for his service connection for bilateral pes planus and gynecomastia scar residuals, finding that the earliest possible effective dates are the dates of receipt of the claims.
- Denied
The Veteran's hypertension, bilateral pes planus, PTSD, and anxiety were all denied as service connection was not established based on the evidence of record.,Bilateral pes planus was denied due to lack of current diagnosis.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for treatment purposes only under Chapter 17 for various conditions, including cervical spine condition, right upper extremity nerve condition, left upper extremity nerve condition, headache condition, right wrist condition, left wrist condition, right elbow condition, left elbow condition, right shoulder condition, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), bilateral pes planus, right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, and left knee disorder.
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