We have included with this letter: 1. Explanation of Payment 2. Additional Benefits 3. Where to Send Your Correspondence 4. VA Form 20-0998 5. Rating Decision 6. Fraud Prevention Attachment Contact information: Web: www.va.gov Phone: 1-800-827-1000 TDD: 711 To send questions online: visit https://ask.va.gov/ Social Media: Twitter: @VAVetBenefits Facebook: www.facebook.com/ VeteransBenefits Your representative: You appointed AMERICAN LEGION as your accredited representative. They have also received a copy of this letter. They can help you with any questions you have about your claim. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and then pressing 1. July 17, 2025 LAWRENCE PAUL WIDIKOWSKI 11 COOPER ST DANVILLE WV 25053 We made a decision on your VA benefits. Dear Lawrence Widikowski: This letter will guide you through the information you should know and steps you may take now that VA has made a decision about your benefits. Your Benefit Information: l Entitlement to special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance/housebound is denied. See Rating Decision to find out why we made this decision. As a Veteran with a service-connected disability, you may be eligible for up to $40,000 in VA life insurance benefits. Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife) is guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance available to all service-connected, disabled veterans with no time limit to apply as long as you are age 80 or under. Veterans age 81 and over are still eligible in certain circumstances. Visit the VALife Insurance website, https://www.va.gov/life-insurance/options-eligibility/valife/ , for further information. Your monthly entitlement amount is shown below: Monthly Entitlement Amount Payment Start Date Reason $2,973.86 Aug 1, 2018 Original Award $3,057.13 Dec 1, 2018 Cost of Living Adjustment $3,106.04 Dec 1, 2019 Cost of Living Adjustment $3,146.42 Dec 1, 2020 Cost of Living Adjustment ICN: 1024355407V649270 Page 1

Monthly Entitlement Amount Payment Start Date Reason $3,332.06 Dec 1, 2021 Cost of Living Adjustment $3,621.95 Dec 1, 2022 Cost of Living Adjustment $3,737.85 Dec 1, 2023 Cost of Living Adjustment $3,831.30 Dec 1, 2024 Cost of Living Adjustment We are currently paying you as a single Veteran with no dependents. If payments are due, you should receive your first payment, if not already in receipt of payments, within 7-10 days of this notice. See Explanation of Payment for more details about your payment. Your payment will be directed to the financial institution and account number that you specified. To confirm when your payment was deposited, please contact your financial institution. If this account is no longer open, please notify us immediately. What You Should Do If You Disagree With Our Decision If you do not agree with our decision, you have one year from the date of this letter to select a review option to protect your initial filing date for effective date purposes. You must file your request on the required application form for the review option desired. The table below represents the review options and their respective required application form. Review Option Required Application Form Supplemental Claim VA Form 20-0995, Decision Review Request: Supplemental Claim Higher-Level Review VA Form 20-0996, Decision Review Request: Higher-Level Review Appeal to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals VA Form 10182, Decision Review Request: Board Appeal (Notice of Disagreement) WIDIKOWSKI, LAWRENCE P ICN: 1024355407V649270 Page 2

Please note: You may not request a higher-level review of a higher-level review decision issued by VA. The enclosed VA Form 20-0998, Your Right To Seek Review Of Our Decision , explains your options in greater detail and provides instructions on how to request further review. You may download a copy of any of the required application forms noted above by visiting www.va.gov/vaforms/ or you may contact us by telephone at 1-800-827-1000 and we will mail you any form you need. You can visit www.va.gov/decision-reviews to learn more about how the disagreement process works. Important: If you have a service-connected condition which you feel has worsened and is no longer accurately reflected by the level of disability assigned, please use VA Form 21-526EZ, Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits to request an increased evaluation. However, if you disagree with a decision made within the last year, please refer to the enclosed VA Form 20-0998, Your Right To Seek Review Of Our Decision . If you would like us to review a claim that was denied more than one year ago, and you have new and relevant evidence for us to consider, please use VA Form 20-0995, Decision Review Request: Supplemental Claim . If you would like to obtain or access evidence used in making this decision, please contact us by telephone, email, or letter as noted below letting us know what you would like to obtain. Some evidence may be obtained online by visiting www.va.gov . You may also use the following link to access your Public Contact representative at your local VA Regional Office for assistance at https://va.my.site.com/VAVERA/s/ . Thank you for your service, Regional Office Director cc: AMERICAN LEGION WIDIKOWSKI, LAWRENCE P ICN: 1024355407V649270 Page 3

Explanation of Payment We are currently paying you as a single Veteran with no dependents. Please Take Action: What Things Affect Your Right to Payment? Please notify VA immediately if there is a change in any condition affecting your right to continued payments. If you don’t notify us of these changes immediately, you may have to return any overpayments. Those changes include: Evidence received shows a change is warranted. Military Pay or Worker's Compensation: Your payments may be affected by the following, which you must bring to our attention: l Reentrance into active military or naval service. l Receipt of armed forces service retirement pay, unless your retirement pay has already been reduced because of award of disability compensation. l Receipt of benefits from the Office of Federal Employees Compensation. l Receipt of active duty or drill pay as a reservist or member of the National Guard. Dependents: If you have a disability rating of 30 percent or more, you must advise VA of any change with your spouse or children. Hospitalization: If your award includes Aid and Attendance benefits, we may reduce this additional allowance if you are admitted to a hospital, nursing home, or domiciliary care at VA expense. Incarceration: Benefits will be reduced if you are incarcerated in a federal, state, or local penal institution for more than 60 days for conviction of a felony. Lack of Cooperation: We may stop monthly payments if you: l fail to submit evidence we requested, l fail to attend a VA examination when requested, or l Submit false or fraudulent evidence to VA, or cause false or fraudulent evidence to be submitted to VA. Fraud/Lying to Government: The law provides severe penalties, which include fines, imprisonment, or both, for the fraudulent acceptance of any payment to which you are not entitled. We may verify information you submit through computer-matching programs with other agencies. Additional Benefits Education, Training, and Employment: l Education loans : For more information, please call 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) or WIDIKOWSKI, LAWRENCE P ICN: 1024355407V649270 Page 5

visit www.vets.gov/education . l Veterans with student loans : For more information, please call 1-888-303-7818 or visit www.disabilitydischarge.com/ . Medical Care and Treatment: l Mental Health Counseling: For more information, please visit www.myhealth.va.gov/mhv- portal-web/ . l Blind Rehabilitation: For more information, please visit www.va.gov/blindrehab/ . Home Adaptations/Loans, Automobile Benefits, and Life Insurance: l Loans: For more information, please visit www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/ . l Funding Fee Refund : If you paid a funding fee at the closing of a VA guaranteed home loan and your VA compensation award provides an effective rating date that was prior to your loan closing date, then you may be eligible for a funding fee refund. Please contact either your current mortgage servicer or a VA Regional Loan Center at (877) 827-3702 to begin the refund process. l Government life insurance : As a Veteran with a service-connected disability, you may be eligible for up to $40,000 in VA life insurance benefits. Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife) is guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance available to all service-connected, disabled veterans with no time limit to apply as long as you are age 80 or under. Veterans age 81 and over are still eligible in certain circumstances. For more information on VALife, please visit https://www.va.gov/life-insurance/options-eligibility/valife/ . Armed Forces Commissary and Exchange: l You may be entitled to Armed Forces Commissary and Exchange privileges. Honorably discharged Veterans with a service-connected disability; Former Prisoners of War; Purple Heart or Medal of Honor recipients; military retirees; members of the reserves; and their dependents may qualify for entitlement to this additional benefit. For more information, please visit va.gov/resources/commissary-and-exchange-privileges-for-veterans . Veterans Signals (VSignals), a VA Customer Experience Survey VA is conducting short surveys to gather feedback regarding the new decision review process. VA will randomly select survey participants from individuals who filed a request for a decision review. The survey will be sent via email and should take less than three minutes to complete. If selected, you will receive a survey within 10 days of the date on your notification letter. To be considered for VA surveys, please review your va.gov profile and ensure we have your current email address. The survey may not route to your inbox, so please check your junk folder. WIDIKOWSKI, LAWRENCE P ICN: 1024355407V649270 Page 6

If you prefer to mail your correspondence, please use the related mailing address below: Compensation Benefits Department of Veterans Affairs Compensation Intake Center P.O. Box 4444 Janesville, WI 5354 7 Toll Free Phone: 1 - 800 - 827 - 1000 Toll Free Fax: (844) 531 - 7818 Pension & Survivors Benefit s Department of Veterans Affairs Pension Intake Center P.O. Box 5365 Janesville, WI 53547 Toll Free Phone: 1 - 800 - 827 - 1000 Toll Free Fax: (844) 655 - 1604 Board of Veterans’ Appeals Fiduciary Department of Veterans Affairs Department of Veterans Affairs Board of Veterans’ Appeals Fiduciary Intake Center P.O. Box 27063 P.O. Box 5211 Washington, DC 20038 Toll Free Fax: ( 844 ) 678 - 8979 Janesville, WI 53547 Toll Free Phone: 1 - 800 - 827 - 1000 Toll Free Fax: (888) 581 - 6826 These addresses serve all United States and foreign locations . WTSYC v8 ( 04 /2 4 ) Where to Send Your Correspondence Documents may be submitted by mail, in person at a VA regional office or electronically. However, VA recommends submitting correspondence electronically as this is the fastest method of receipt. VA provides several tools to assist in electronic submission. To learn more about how to submit documents and claims electronically, visit www.va.gov/disability/upload-supporting-evidence. You can also go directly to access.va.gov to digitally upload any correspondence using QuickSubmit. By visiting www.va.gov you can also check your claim status and learn about other VA benefits. If you need assistance, you can find a local, accredited representative at https://www.benefits.va.gov/vso/ You can also send a text message to 838255 to receive confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. For more information, visit www.veteranscrisisline.net Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988 then Press 1

YOUR RIGHT TO SEEK REVIEW OF OUR DECISION This document outlines your right to seek review of our decision on any issue with which you disagree. You may generally select one of three different review options for each issue decided by VA. However, you may not request review of the same issue using more than one option at the same time. Below is information on the three different review options. For most VA benefits, you have 1 year from the date on your decision notice to request a decision review to ensure the earliest possible effective date. Consult your decision notice for specific limitations. Supplemental Claim A reviewer will determine whether new and relevant evidence changes the prior decision. Higher-Level Review Board Appeal VA FORM APR 2024 20-0998 SUPERSEDES VA FORM 20-0998, SEP 2022. Page 1 What Is This? An experienced claims adjudicator will review your decision using the same evidence VA considered in the prior decision. A Veterans Law Judge at the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) will review your decision. You are adding or identifying new and relevant evidence to support your claim that we did not previously consider. VA will assist you in gathering new and relevant evidence that you identify to support your claim. You are entitled to a hearing at any time in the supplemental claim process. You have no additional evidence to submit to support your claim, but you believe there was an error in the prior decision. You can request an optional, one-time, informal conference with a Higher-Level Reviewer to identify specific errors in the case, although requesting this conference may delay the review. You must choose a docket: Direct Review - You do not want to submit evidence or have a hearing. Evidence Submission - You choose to submit additional evidence without a hearing. Hearing - You choose to have a hearing with a Veterans Law Judge. 125 days on average 125 days on average 365 days on average for Direct Review (longer for the other options) You may request another Supplemental Claim, a Higher-Level Review, or a Board Appeal. You may request a Supplemental Claim or a Board Appeal. You may request a Supplemental Claim or appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. * All forms listed are available at www.va.gov/find-forms/ or use your mobile device camera to scan the QR code to take you directly to the form you select. By Selecting This Option Goal To Complete Further Options After This Decision Review VA Form 20-0995 Decision Review Request: Supplemental Claim VA Form 20-0996 Decision Review Request: Higher-Level Review VA Form 10182 Decision Review Request: Board Appeal (Notice of Disagreement) Form To File* Scan QR Code to Access Form

• A Supplemental Claim. If you file a Supplemental Claim after the 1-year time limit, the effective date for any resulting award of benefits generally will be tied to the date VA receives the Supplemental Claim. • A request to revise the decision based on a clear and unmistakable error, or If you do not submit a decision review request within the required time, you may only seek review through the following: • If you are a party to a contested claim - such as claims for apportionment, attorney fee disagreement, or multiple parties filing for survivor's benefits or claims for life insurance - your only option for disagreeing with your decision is to file a Board Appeal within 60 days of the date on your decision notice. While most decision review options are available to you, there are limitations based on the type of decision you received. o If you wish to have a hearing during the supplemental claim process, you can contact us online through Ask VA: https://ask.va.gov/ or call us toll-free at 1-800-827-1000 (TTY:711). VA FORM 20-0998, APR 2024 Page 2 Get Help with Your Review Request: For more information on all the available review options, contact us at 1-800-827-1000 or visit www.va.gov/decision- reviews/ . If you need help filing a decision review, you may want to work with an accredited attorney, claims agent, or a Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representative. Additional information about working with an accredited attorney, claims agent, or VSO representative is available at www.va.gov/decision-reviews/get-help-with-review-request/ . You can find a searchable database of VA-recognized representatives at www.va.gov/ogc/apps/accreditation . Scan the QR Code to Open the Appropriate Decision Review Website Page Supplemental Claim Higher-Level Review Board Appeal • If you are seeking review of an insurance decision you have an additional option to challenge VA's decision by filing a complaint with a United States district court in the jurisdiction in which you reside within 6 years from when the right of action first accrues. Consult your decision notice for details on what options are available and where to send the request.

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Veterans Benefits Administration Regional Office LAWRENCE WIDIKOWSKI VA File Number 200 46 9795 Represented By: AMERICAN LEGION Rating Decision 07/15/2025 INTRODUCTION The records reflect that you are a Veteran of the Peacetime and Vietnam Era. You served in the Navy from October 9, 1974 to August 26, 1976. We received your supplemental claim on January 9, 2025. Based on a review of the evidence listed below, we have made the following decision(s) on your claim. DECISION Entitlement to special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance/housebound is denied. EVIDENCE l VA Form 20-0995, Decision Review Request - Supplemental Claims, received January 9, 2025 l VA Form 21-4138, Statement in Support of Claim, received January 9, 2025 l VA Form 27-0820, Report of General Information, dated April 29, 2025 l VA Examination Report of No Show, by VES, received May 1, 2025 l VA Examination for heart conditions, Huntington VAMC, conducted January 16, 2019

l VA Form 21-2680, Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and Attendance, received February 26, 2024 l Rating Decision, dated July 17, 2024 l VA letter, dated December 19, 2024 l VA Examination Report of Unavailability, by VES, conducted November 26, 2024 l Rating Decision, dated July 17, 2024 l VA letter, dated July 18, 2024 l VAMC (Veterans Affairs Medical Center) treatment records, Huntington VAMC network, for the period May 3, 2018 to July 9, 2025 REASONS FOR DECISION Entitlement to special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance/housebound. Entitlement to an additional payment of compensation is established when service-connected impairment imposes a special level of disability. Entitlement to special monthly compensation is not warranted in this case because the criteria regarding aid and attendance/housebound have not been met. (38 CFR 3.350) Aid and attendance is payable for being so helpless (due to service-connected disabilities) as to be permanently bedridden or in need of regular aid and attendance. Aid and attendance is defined as: inability to dress or undress, or to keep ordinarily clean and presentable; frequent need of adjustment of any special prosthetic or orthopedic appliances which by reason of the particular disability cannot be done without aid; inability to feed oneself through loss of coordination of upper extremities or through extreme weakness; inability to attend to the wants of nature; or physical or mental incapacity which requires care or assistance on a regular basis to protect the claimant from hazards or dangers incident to the daily environment. "Bedridden" means that condition which actually requires that the claimant remain in bed. Voluntarily taking to bed or the fact that a physician has prescribed rest in bed for the greater or lesser part of the day to promote convalescence or cure will not suffice. It is only necessary that the evidence shows that the claimant is so helpless as to need regular aid and attendance, not that there be a constant need. Determinations as to the need for regular aid and attendance will not be based solely upon an opinion that their condition is such as would require them to be in bed. They must be based on the actual requirement of personal assistance from others. Housebound benefits are payable when the claimant is substantially confined, due to service- connected disability(ies), to their dwelling and the immediate premises or, if institutionalized, to the ward or clinical areas, and it is reasonably certain that this is permanent. Housebound benefits are also payable for a single service-connected disability rated as totally disabling with additional service-connected disability(ies) independently ratable at 60 percent, separate and distinct from the totally disabling service-connected disability. (38 CFR 3.350, 38 CFR 3.352) The medical evidence indicates that you are confined to your immediate premises and that that you do need regular assistance to perform activities of daily life. However, the evidence also shows that your non-service connected disabilites of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, age- LAWRENCE WIDIKOWSKI 200 46 9795 2 of 3

related macular degeneration and chronic low back pain contribute significantly to that impairment. Therefore, entitlement to special monthly compensation is denied as it is not your service connected disability that is causing the need for assistance. Your phone call on April 29, 2025 is documented and your willingness to attend an exam is noted. In this case, however, an examination is not warranted as medical evidence supports that your non-service connected disabilities substantially impact your ability to perform tasks independently. Favorable Findings identified in this decision: You are housebound. VA Form 21-2680 received February 26, 2024 indicates that you are confined to your immediate premises. You require aid and attendance. VA Form 21-2680 received February 26, 2024 indicates that you are in need of regular assistance. REFERENCES: Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Pensions, Bonuses and Veterans' Relief contains the regulations of the Department of Veterans Affairs which govern entitlement to all Veteran benefits. For additional information regarding applicable laws and regulations, please consult your local library, or visit us at our website, www.va.gov . LAWRENCE WIDIKOWSKI 200 46 9795 3 of 3

Fraud Prevention: Protect Your Benefits Please contact the VA immediately at 1-800-827-1000 if you suspect your information is compromised. • You receive correspondence from VA concerning a claim, and you don’t remember filing a claim contact the VA at 1-800-827-1000. • You receive correspondence requesting a processing fee prior to releasing benefit payments contact the VA at 1-800-827-1000. • VA may check in with you by phone, email, or text message. The VA will never ask for personal information via email. This includes verification of your SSN, address, and/or bank information. If you are unsure about any call, email, or text, confirm details directly with the VA. • VA does not threaten claimants with jail or lawsuits. • Be cautions of telephone numbers on caller ID. Scammers may change the telephone number (spoofing) to make a call appear to come from a different person or place. • When in doubt, hang up and call VA directly at 1-800-827-1000, or call your Power of Attorney representative (DAV, VFW, etc.). • Do not ignore emails or letters from the VA notifying you of an update to direct deposit or eBenefits account information. If you don’t remember making changes, it could be the first sign your information was compromised. • Use secure, unique passwords, and two factor identification where available. To establish a more secure logon for Vets.gov and ebenefits.va.gov with two factor identification create an account via ID.me at https://api.id.me/en/registration/new • Monitor your accounts regularly, respond to fraud alerts and report unauthorized transactions promptly. • To learn more about protecting yourself from fraud, and how to report it visit https://www.va.gov/oig/hotline/default.asp , or go to VA.gov and search “Office of Inspector General”. • For more details on how to avoid scams go to https://www.fcc.gov/veterans- targeted-benefits-scams • Download free financial scam awareness resources at https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/helping-prevent-scams- targeted-veterans/ • Get up-to-date information on fraud and scams from the Federal Trade Commission https://public.tableau.com/profile/federal.trade.commission