The Board has determined that the appellant's burial expenses are deductible from her countable income, and she is entitled to special monthly death pension based on need for aid and attendance.
The deciding factor: Burial expenses paid by a surviving spouse can be deducted from their countable income. The appellant meets the criteria for special monthly death pension due to her need for regular aid and assistance of another person.
- Claimed conditions
- postoperative residuals of a pyloric channel ulcer with partial gastric outlet obstruction, diverticulosis of the colon with hemorrhage, iron deficiency anemia secondary to blood loss, essential hypertension, significant degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine with discogenic disease, cataract on the right eye with one cataract removed, residuals of two knee replacements
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 31, 2000
- Citation
- 0008870
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0008870.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the claims on appeal, including obtaining any outstanding treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the current severity of service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's representative also requested reevaluation of his service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of essential hypertension is denied as the evidence does not show he had potential entitlement at the time of the liberalizing law, and his current effective date is one year prior to the date of his July 2024 Supplemental Claim.
- Granted
The Board has granted an effective date of May 15, 2013 for the Veteran's TDIU and DEA benefits claims based on continuous pursuit of his claim since May 15, 2013. The effective dates are fixed in accordance with the facts found.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his combined schedular ratings did not meet the threshold requirement for consideration of TDIU. The case was remanded multiple times and ultimately denied again.
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