The Board has determined that a common law marriage existed between the veteran and the appellant, which is sufficient to grant recognition as the surviving spouse for VA benefits purposes.
The deciding factor: The evidence demonstrated that the veteran and the appellant held themselves out as husband and wife after their reconciliation in 1987, lived together, and were recognized by family and friends. The Board found this to be sufficient to establish a common law marriage.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 28, 2001
- Citation
- 0123822
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 0123822.
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.