The Veteran's stepson, D.M., was denied recognition as a helpless child due to the lack of evidence showing he was permanently incapable of self-support prior to his eighteenth birthday.
The deciding factor: The medical records do not provide sufficient evidence that D.M. was permanently incapable of supporting himself before reaching the age of eighteen.
- Claimed conditions
- mental or physical defect
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 19, 2019
- Citation
- A19003751
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 A19003751.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's son, R.G., is not considered permanently incapable of self-support since his eighteenth birthday due to mental or physical defects.
- Denied
The Veteran's son, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and severe depression, did not become permanently incapable of self-support prior to turning 18 years old. The Board found that the appellant had the capacity to function and support himself before age 18.
- Denied
The veteran's son, R.C., is not considered permanently incapable of self-support by reason of mental or physical defect at the age of 18. The claim for recognition as a helpless child has been denied.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the appellant's daughter, FC, was not permanently incapable of self-support prior to reaching the age of 18 years and therefore cannot be recognized as a helpless child.
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