The Veteran is granted SMC based on the need for aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities, resolving reasonable doubt in his favor.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the Veteran requires regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected conditions, specifically radiculopathy affecting his upper extremities, which impacts his ability to perform ADLs and IADLs.
- Claimed conditions
- Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety and Depression, Thoracic Spine Apophysitis, Cervical Spine Strain with Arthritis Status Post Fusion, Right Upper Extremity Radiculopathy, Left Upper Extremity Radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- June 3, 2025
- Citation
- A25048796
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for sinusitis, bronchitis, liver abscess, abdominal aorta, left and right hamstring disabilities. The Board granted an increased disability rating of 40 percent for right upper extremity radiculopathy but denied all other claims.
- Granted
The Board granted a 70 percent rating for the Veteran's adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression, finding that the evidence supports occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas due to symptoms such as suicidal ideation, impaired impulse control, grossly inappropriate behavior, and intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and chronic sinusitis. However, it granted an increased disability rating of 30 percent for left upper extremity radiculopathy.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed all issues as a matter of law due to a procedural defect in the Veteran's February 2023 VA Form 10182s, which attempted to concurrently elect multiple review options.
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