The Board denied the Veteran's claims for SMC based on need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, finding that there is no evidence of anatomical loss or use of both feet or one hand and one foot. The Veteran was found capable of performing activities of daily living with assistance but not requiring regular aid and attendance.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not show the Veteran's service-connected conditions resulted in the need for regular aid and attendance due to anatomical loss or use of both feet or one hand and one foot, as he was still able to walk with assistive devices except during flare-ups.
- Claimed conditions
- depressive disorder, degenerative arthritis of the spine, bilateral metatarsalgia, dermatitis and left foot athlete's foot, right foot hallux valgus, bilateral hammer toes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 18, 2024
- Citation
- A24067130
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,036 · Granted: 27% (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 A24067130.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's vascular headaches are granted effective August 22, 2011. A TDIU is granted effective February 11, 2015. SMC based on housebound criteria is denied prior to July 14, 2020.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.
- Granted
The Board has restored the Veteran's 100% rating for depressive disorder, effective August 1, 2020, as the reduction was improper and did not comply with applicable regulations.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal. The Board cannot issue a decision on the merits as they have no jurisdiction.
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