The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person was denied as he did not meet the criteria for such benefits prior to October 25, 2021.
The deciding factor: The Veteran met the schedular criteria for SMC based on the need for the regular aid and attendance of another person but was not so helpless or experienced loss of use of hands/feet due to service-connected disabilities as to require such benefits prior to October 25, 2021.
- Claimed conditions
- Ischemic Heart Disease, Major Depressive Disorder, Unspecified Anxiety Disorder, Diabetes Mellitus, Diabetic Neuropathy (Left Lower Extremity), Diabetic Neuropathy (Right Lower Extremity)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- November 5, 2024
- Citation
- A24072060
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 869 · Granted: 29% (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 A24072060.
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
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