The Veteran's son, G.A., Jr., was not shown to have been permanently incapable of self-support prior to attaining the age of 18. Therefore, recognition as a helpless child is denied.
The deciding factor: G.A., Jr.'s condition did not render him incapable of self-support at the time he turned 18 years old.
- Claimed conditions
- permanent incapacity for self-support prior to attaining the age of 18
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19101393
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,990 · Granted: 35% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19101393.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's stepchild, C.W., was previously removed from his VA compensation due to not meeting the criteria for being a helpless child. The AOJ found that C.W.'s disability onset date was June 30, 2021, which is after he turned 18 years old. The Board determined this finding was erroneous and remanded the case for further action.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's son, E.F., is being remanded for further evaluation to determine if he was permanently incapable of self-support prior to his 18th birthday.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for recognition of A.S. as a helpless child due to permanent incapacity for self-support prior to attaining the age of 18 is remanded due to insufficient notice and incomplete medical records.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's helpless child, R., is already in receipt of additional dependency benefits at the maximum rate due to his permanent incapacity for self-support prior to reaching age 18. The Veteran's appeal for a higher rate is denied as it does not meet the criteria.
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.