The Veteran's claim for SMC based on the need for aid and attendance prior to December 15, 2021 was denied as there is no evidence showing he required regular aid and assistance due to his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not meet the criteria for needing aid and attendance due to his service-connected conditions, including significant memory loss from ECT therapy but improvement noted later in the appeal period.
- Claimed conditions
- PTSD, TBI (evaluated as a single disability), diabetes mellitus, type II, bilateral hearing loss, post-concussive headaches associated with PTSD and TBI, low back disorder, bilateral shoulder disabilities, bilateral elbow disabilities, seizure disorder, hypothyroidism, constipation, bilateral wrist disabilities, cervical stenosis, left knee disability, hypertension, scars of the left forearm and right leg
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 22, 2024
- Citation
- A24067766
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 749 · Granted: 28% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A24067766.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his bilateral knee and hip disabilities.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
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