The Board denied DIC benefits based on the Appellant's claim of being a helpless child due to his inability to self-support prior to age 18, finding that there was no evidence showing he was permanently incapable of self-support by reason of any condition before reaching 18 years old.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not establish that the Appellant was permanently incapable of self-support prior to attaining the age of 18 due to any disabilities, regardless of their cause.
- Claimed conditions
- mental health disability, physical disabilities
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 13, 2020
- Citation
- 20073107
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board grants service connection for a mental health disability, as currently diagnosed, based on traumatic experiences during active military service.
- Dismissed
The veteran withdrew the appeals for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent for major depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder and service connection for mental health disability.
- Partly granted
The veteran's earlier effective date for a 70% rating is granted as of June 13, 2022. A higher rating than 70% is denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a mental health disability, stating there is no evidence of a diagnosed mental health condition. The Veteran's lay assertions alone are insufficient to warrant a VA examination.
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