The Board denied service connection for loss of use of both hands and feet, as well as higher levels of special monthly compensation based on these conditions.
The deciding factor: There was no evidence to support the Veteran's claim that he had lost effective function in his hands or feet such that it would be equally well served by an amputation with a suitable prosthetic appliance.
- Claimed conditions
- Loss of use of both hands, Loss of use of both feet
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 8, 2025
- Citation
- A25058363
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran was granted an effective date of August 5, 2013, for the award of special monthly compensation (SMC) at various rates based on his service-connected conditions.
- Granted
The Board granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the loss of use of both hands and feet, as the evidence supports that the Veteran has lost effective function in his extremities to a degree that would be equally well-served by amputation with suitable prosthetic appliances.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
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