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 had been able to engage in substantial work efforts and hold a job despite her visual deficits and psychiatric disorders.
The deciding factor: The Board found that M.M. was capable of earning sufficient income for her own reasonable support through employment, which is prima facie evidence of not being incapable of self-support.
- Claimed conditions
- legal blindness, psychiatric disorders
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 2, 2019
- Citation
- 19176201
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
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