The Veteran's daughter, S.D., qualifies for status as a dependent with the Appellant's award of DIC benefits based on her status as the helpless child of the Veteran.
The deciding factor: S.D. was rendered permanently incapable of self-support by reason of mental or physical defect diagnosed as autism prior to the age of 18, meeting the definition of a helpless child for purposes of VA benefits.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 12, 2025
- Citation
- A25051902
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.