The Board denied the appellant's claim for VA death benefits as her marriage to the veteran was legally terminated in December 1982, more than six years before his death. Therefore, she cannot be considered a surviving spouse.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed that the appellant and the veteran were legally divorced in December 1982, which is more than six years prior to the veteran's death in November 1989.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 17, 2001
- Citation
- 0111096
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 0111096.
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.