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 assigned
- None in this 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1427546.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.