The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for special monthly compensation (SMC) at a rate higher than 38 U.S.C. § 1114(l), as he does not have additional service-connected disabilities independently ratable to 50 percent or more that are separate and distinct from those that form the basis of his current award of aid and attendance.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including CAD, atrial fibrillation, major neurocognitive disorder, and residuals of a hemorrhagic cerebrovascular accident (CVA), do not meet the criteria for an intermediate rate or higher level of SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(p) as they are not separate and distinct from one another.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 2, 2025
- Citation
- A25048400
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
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