The Board has determined that the evidence received since the last final denial does not meet the criteria for reopening the claim of entitlement to recognition as the Veteran's helpless child.
The deciding factor: The new and material evidence submitted by the appellant is cumulative and redundant of previous evidence, and does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.
- Claimed conditions
- Cerebral palsy, Spastic paraplegia
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 28, 2009
- Citation
- 0936751
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0936751.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's daughter, P., is recognized as a helpless child due to her disabilities and inability to support herself prior to the age of 18. The claim was reopened based on new evidence showing she became permanently incapable of self-support before reaching the age of 18.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's stepchild, R.T., was recognized as his helpless child for the purpose of additional dependency compensation due to significant physical and intellectual limitations prior to his 18th birthday.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's daughter, M.S.R, is recognized as a 'helpless child' due to her permanent incapacity for self-support prior to reaching the age of 18 based on her disabilities.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for recognition of F.M. as his 'helpless child' was granted with an effective date of March 29, 2013, based on new and material evidence submitted within a year of the denial in June 2014.
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