The Board has determined that the appellant does not meet the requirements to be recognized as the veteran's surviving spouse for VA death pension benefits due to a lack of continuous living with the veteran from 1985 to his death in May [redacted], 1995.
The deciding factor: The appellant did not live continuously with the veteran after their divorce and there is no evidence that he moved out due to misconduct, which would have required separation for two years prior to his death.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 18, 2000
- Citation
- 0013153
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 0013153.
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
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.