The Board denied both claims for recognition of J. as a helpless child and apportionment of the Veteran's VA compensation benefits, finding that the evidence did not support the appellant's claim that J. was permanently incapable of self-support prior to his eighteenth birthday.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of the evidence showed that J.'s psychiatric symptoms began after he turned 18 and were severe enough to require hospitalization at age 25, indicating he was not permanently incapable of self-support before reaching 18 years old.
- Claimed conditions
- Paranoid schizophrenia, Psychotic disorder, Schizophreniform disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 18, 2018
- Citation
- 1803488
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 1803488.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter to obtain a medical opinion that addresses whether the Veteran's diagnosed conditions of paranoid schizophrenia and insomnia are related to service.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the veteran's appeals for service connection for insomnia, a left shoulder disability, a psychotic disorder, and depressive disorder due to untimely filing of a notice of disagreement.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during its pendency.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted an award of special monthly compensation (SMC) based on his service-connected paranoid schizophrenia and renal cancer, but the appeal for a higher level of SMC due to the need for a higher level of care in addition to regular aid and attendance was denied.
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.