The Board denied the claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance or at the housebound rate prior to August 22, 2018.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that the Veteran required care or assistance due to his service-connected disabilities to perform activities of daily living or protect himself from hazards or dangers incident to his daily environment.
- Claimed conditions
- Right shoulder disability, Left shoulder disability, Back disability, Neck disability, Acquired psychiatric disorder, Tinnitus, Left knee disorder, Bilateral hearing loss, Traumatic brain injury (TBI) residuals
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 12, 2025
- Citation
- 25006374
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial rating of 20 percent for right lower extremity (RLE) radiculopathy but remanded the back disability claim for further development.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for right and left shoulder disabilities, as the evidence did not support a higher rating under applicable criteria.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for annual clothing allowances for a left knee sleeve, A&D ointment, hydrocortisone cream, and incontinence briefs due to lack of service connection or evidence that these items cause irreparable damage to outer garments.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, as there was no evidence of a current disability in the right ear and insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the left ear hearing loss and service.
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