The Veteran's service-connected heart disease rendered him so helpless as to be in need of regular aid and attendance of another person as of February 10, 2022.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran was eligible for SMC based on his need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected heart disease, which required assistance with several activities of daily living (ADLs) starting from February 10, 2022.
- Claimed conditions
- Congestive heart failure with valvular heart disease, left ventricular assist device, and automated implantable cardioverter defibrillator (heart disease)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 25, 2025
- Citation
- A25054801
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.
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The Board denied service connection for coronary artery disease, hypertensive heart disease with congestive heart failure, supraventricular arrhythmia, valvular heart disease, and left ventricular assist device as the evidence did not show that these conditions were incurred during or caused by active military service.
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- Remanded (sent back)
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- Remanded (sent back)
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