The Veteran is granted SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another person due to his service-connected disabilities, but denied SMC based on housebound status.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's highest disability rating was 50%, which does not meet the requirement for a single service-connected disability rated as 100% disabling needed for statutory or in fact housebound SMC.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, unspecified depressive disorder, right knee degenerative arthritis with instability, left knee degenerative arthritis with instability, right knee degenerative arthritis, other than posttraumatic, left knee degenerative arthritis other than posttraumatic, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- February 3, 2026
- Citation
- A26010081
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 A26010081.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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