The Board has determined that the appellant is entitled to recognition as the veteran's surviving spouse based on continuous cohabitation from their marriage in December 1941 until the veteran's death in December 1999, despite a separation due to the veteran's desertion.
The deciding factor: The evidence established that the appellant and the veteran had not lived together continuously since approximately 1962 or 1963 but maintained their marriage status as legal spouses until the veteran's death in December 1999.
- 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, 2003
- Citation
- 0307384
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 0307384.
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.