The Board denied the Veteran's claim for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) based on loss of use due to service-connected conditions, as there was no evidence of loss of use or anatomical loss of breast tissue. The Veteran's service-connected COPD and depressive disorder did not meet the criteria for SMC.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of medical evidence showed that the Veteran had some level of functionality in her hands and feet despite her service-connected conditions, thus failing to meet the criteria for SMC under 38 C.F.R. § 3.350(a).
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Bronchitis, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), Depressive Disorder, Tonsillar Cancer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 3, 2024
- Citation
- A24079577
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 A24079577.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
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Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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- Remanded (sent back)
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- Granted
The Veteran's depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent, effective from the date of service connection (January 23, 2020), due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
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