The Board has determined that the appellant is entitled to recognition as a surviving spouse of the veteran for VA death benefit purposes, given her lack of fault in their separation and her status as his lawful spouse at the time of his death.
The deciding factor: The Board found that although the appellant did not reside with the veteran from the date of marriage to the date of his death, she was without fault in their separation. The appellant's allegation of abandonment by the veteran as the reason for their separation is accepted as credible.
- 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 31, 2001
- Citation
- 0115138
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 0115138.
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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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.