The Board found that the appellant is not a 'helpless child' of the Veteran for benefits purposes due to insufficient medical evidence of a psychiatric disorder before he attained the age of 18. The appellant's assertions were deemed unreliable as a layperson is not competent to provide evidence regarding the diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was no objective medical evidence showing a psychiatric disorder before the appellant reached the age of 18, and thus did not meet the criteria for recognition as a 'helpless child'.
- Claimed conditions
- Psychiatric disorder (schizoaffective disorder, depressive type)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 18, 2014
- Citation
- 1427546
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1427546.
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).
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