The Board has granted an effective date of March 15, 2019 for the award of special monthly compensation (SMC) at the housebound rate due to the Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease and valvular heart disease with cardiomyopathy. The decision also grants earlier effective dates for service connection of bilateral lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran had a single service-connected disability rated at 100 percent (coronary artery disease and valvular heart disease with cardiomyopathy) plus additional service-connected disabilities independently ratable at 60 percent or more, which met the criteria for SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s).
- Claimed conditions
- coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease with cardiomyopathy, type II diabetes mellitus, bilateral lower extremity sciatic nerve diabetic peripheral neuropathy, bilateral lower extremity femoral nerve diabetic peripheral neuropathy, atrial fibrillation flutter, left elbow abscess, status post coronary artery bypass graft and pacemaker associated with coronary artery and valvular heart disease with cardiomyopathy scars
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- January 26, 2026
- Citation
- A26006974
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 A26006974.
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 the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for coronary artery disease is being remanded due to the inadequacy of a previous VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a back disorder, high blood pressure, and type II diabetes mellitus due to errors in development of the claim.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for coronary artery disease, hypertension, and stroke as there was no evidence of herbicide agent exposure during service and the medical opinions were against a nexus to service.
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