The Board denied the appellant's claim for VA benefits as a helpless child of the Veteran on the basis of permanent incapacity for self-support prior to attaining the age of 18, finding that there was no evidence supporting her contention.
The deciding factor: The February 2017 VA examiner concluded it is less likely than not that the appellant's disabilities caused her to be permanently incapable of self-support prior to reaching the age of 18 in March 1975 due to a spinal cord injury at age 18, and lack of evidence supporting mental disability before age 18.
- Claimed conditions
- paraplegia, mental disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 9, 2020
- Citation
- 20039434
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 20039434.
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 Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for neurogenic bowel, bladder, and paraplegia as secondary to her service-connected lumbar strain. The AOJ must obtain additional opinions addressing whether these conditions are aggravated by the service-connected condition.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, including gram negative bacteremia, paraplegia, tracheostomy or intracerebral hemorrhage is related to his service-connected migraine headaches condition. The matter is REMANDED for further action.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU is denied as the earliest date of claim and entitlement arose is November 10, 2009.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for paraplegia as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected renal cell carcinoma.
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