The Board denied the Veteran's claims for additional dependency benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1115 based on recognition of D. and S. as his children, finding that they are not legitimate, adopted, or stepchildren.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the specific legal definitions provided by 38 C.F.R. § 3.57(a) and 38 U.S.C. § 101(4)(A), which do not include the Veteran's wife's cousins in the definition of 'child' for VA purposes.
- 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 13, 2025
- Citation
- A25052107
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
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.