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 assigned
- None in this 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0008870.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Board denied a compensable rating for essential hypertension as the Veteran's blood pressure did not meet the criteria for a 10 percent rating, and remanded the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating due to individual unemployability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board granted readjudication of the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to new and relevant evidence being submitted after the prior denial.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for essential hypertension, bilateral keratoconjunctivitis sicca, pancreatic issues, interstitial lung disease, respiratory bronchial problems, and bilateral tinnitus due to a pre-decisional error in not attempting to reschedule VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, as the November 2023 TERA opinions are inadequate.
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