The Veteran's SMC was granted at the intermediate rate due to his need for aid and attendance, which is related to service-connected conditions including bladder and prostate cancer residuals, lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral knee disabilities. The Veteran does not meet criteria for loss of use of any extremities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected conditions is the primary factor in determining SMC eligibility at the intermediate rate.
- Claimed conditions
- Bladder and prostate cancer residuals, Lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome, Bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, Bilateral knee disabilities, Left ankle arthritis, Depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- November 7, 2024
- Citation
- A24072819
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,341 · Granted: 33% (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 A24072819.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left ankle disability and a bilateral foot disability, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has identified a contradiction in the AOJ's determinations regarding the Veteran's need for aid and assistance, which requires clarification. The remanded issues are entitlement to SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another and on the basis of statutory housebound status.
- Denied
The Veteran is found not competent to handle the disbursement of VA funds, and his appeal is denied.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) due to being housebound is denied because he does not have a single service-connected disability rated as total, and his disabilities are not separate and distinct from the maximum combined rating of 100 percent.
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