The Board dismissed the appeals for helpless child benefits, accrued benefits, and survivor's pension benefits due to various procedural issues or untimeliness.
The deciding factor: The appellant failed to submit timely claims for these benefits within one year of her father’s death.
- Claimed conditions
- permanent incapacity for self-support
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 4, 2019
- Citation
- 19125494
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete administrative procedures related to A.E.'s permanent incapacity for self-support, and the need to implement specific procedures in M21-1.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's daughter, C.P., is seeking recognition as his 'helpless child' due to her permanent incapacity for self-support prior to reaching age 18. The Board has ordered additional development including a medical examination of C.P.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's adult daughter, S.M., is claimed to be a 'helpless child' due to her permanent incapacity for self-support prior to reaching the age of 18. The Board has ordered further development as additional medical records are needed to determine if this condition existed before she turned 18.
- Denied
The Veteran's daughter is denied DIC benefits as she was not permanently incapable of self-support prior to her 18th birthday due to cerebral palsy.
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