The Veteran's service-connected diabetes and associated neuropathies of the upper and lower extremities are so severe that they prevent him from performing several activities of daily living without assistance, thus granting SMC based on a need for aid and attendance.
The deciding factor: The evidence is at least in approximate equipoise as to whether the Veteran is in need of regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Diabetes mellitus, Peripheral neuropathy, upper extremities, Peripheral neuropathy, lower extremities
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 1, 2025
- Citation
- A25030099
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.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the R(1) rate due to his need for regular aid and attendance.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, finding no evidence that his death was related to any injury or disease in service, including exposure to herbicide agents.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus, as the evidence did not support the need for insulin or episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions requiring hospitalization.
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