The Veteran's adopted daughter, S., is recognized as a helpless child due to her permanent incapacity for self-support prior to reaching the age of 18 based on her severe mental health conditions and inability to support herself.
The deciding factor: S. was permanently incapable of self-support prior to attaining the age of 18 due to multiple chronic mental health conditions, which rendered her unable to provide for herself or engage in gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent Episode with Mixed Features (Chronic), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (Chronic), Bipolar Disorder, Current Episode Mixed (Acute), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Inattentive Type (Chronic), Unspecified Anxiety Disorder (Chronic), Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD) (Chronic), Narcolepsy Without Cataplexy (Chronic), Developmental Disorder of Scholastic Skills (Chronic), Conduct Disorder, Childhood Onset Type (Chronic), Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Disruptive Dysregulation Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 2, 2026
- Citation
- A26009152
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A26009152.
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
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