The Board denied the Veteran's stepdaughter M.M.'s claim for recognition as his helpless child due to her permanent incapacity for self-support prior to attaining the age of 18, finding that she has not been permanently incapable of self-support since before reaching 18.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed that M.M. had significant visual deficits and psychiatric disorders but was able to engage in substantial work efforts and hold a job, which is considered prima facie evidence of her ability to support herself.
- Claimed conditions
- legal blindness, psychiatric disorders
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 2, 2019
- Citation
- 19176201
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 961 · Granted: 20% (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 19176201.
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.
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- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's left eye disability, including incomplete service treatment records and an inadequate VA examiner's opinion. The AOJ is instructed to seek complete copies of the Veteran's service medical records and obtain a new examination with an adequate opinion addressing the likely cause of his eye disability.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for HIV and legal blindness due to ongoing evidentiary deficiencies and failure of the RO to fully comply with prior remand directives.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for gout, legal blindness, and lymphoma due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were related to his military service.
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