The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him so helpless as to be in need of regular aid and attendance, thus granting special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance.
The deciding factor: The evidence supports that the Veteran is unable to dress or undress himself, keep himself ordinarily clean and presentable, feed himself due to a loss of coordination or extreme weakness, and protect himself from the hazards and dangers of daily life and environment.
- Claimed conditions
- Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood associated with Thoracolumbar Strain with Intervertebral Disc Syndrome and Degenerative Arthritis of the Lumbar Spine, Thoracolumbar Strain with IVDS and Degenerative Arthritis of the Lumbar Spine, Left and Right Shoulder Impingement Syndrome, Rotator Cuff Tear and Tendonitis, Glenohumeral Joint Osteoarthritis, Acromioclavicular Joint Osteoarthritis and Bursitis, Radiculopathy, Left and Right Lower Extremity (Sciatic Nerve), Right and Left Elbow Osteoarthritis, Calcific Tendinitis, Degenerative Arthritis Limited Flexion, Left and Right Thumb Condition, Left Long Finger, Right Index Finger, Left Index Finger, and Right Long Finger Condition, Tinnitus, Lateral Collateral Ligament Sprain, Right, Left and Right Knee Degenerative Disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 29, 2025
- Citation
- A25047611
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 828 · Granted: 42% (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 A25047611.
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 service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD and dismissed his appeals regarding increased ratings for tinnitus and a right hand disability due to lack of timely filing of Notice of Disagreement.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including GAD, MDD, bruxism, migraines/headaches, tinnitus, hip pain, iliotibial band syndrome, and leg stress fractures. The evidence does not support current diagnoses of these conditions during the appeal period.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with hammer toes, hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral kidney cysts, rendered him unable to secure or follow gainful employment. The Board granted the TDIU based on these conditions.
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