The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him so helpless as to require the regular aid and attendance of another person, but his service-connected persistent depressive disorder alone rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted SMC at the housebound rate.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s service-connected disabilities did not meet the criteria for need for regular aid and attendance due to inability to dress, undress, keep clean, feed himself, attend to his wants of nature, or protect from hazards without assistance. However, he was found unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.
- Claimed conditions
- persistent depressive disorder, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), chronic lumbar strain with mild degenerative joint disease and degenerative disc disease of the lower lumbar spine, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, painful bilateral feet scars, right foot disability, left foot disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 29, 2026
- Citation
- A26040385
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 A26040385.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals were dismissed due to the death of the appellant. The issues related to service connection for various conditions and disability ratings.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.
- Granted
The Veteran's OSA is granted as service connected. The Veteran's infectious disease claim and stomach disability claim are remanded for further examination.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's service connection for other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder with persistent depressive disorder, anxious distress, and pure dysthymic syndrome was granted. The appeal for PTSD is dismissed as moot because the issue has been rendered irrelevant by the grant of service connection in another appeal stream.
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