The Board denied the appellant's claim for an earlier effective date for payment of death pension, finding that no document prior to June 13, 2002 could be interpreted as a claim for VA death benefits. The veteran died on March [redacted], 2002, and the claim was received by the appellant on June 13, 2002.
The deciding factor: The Board found that no document prior to June 13, 2002 could be construed as a valid claim for VA death benefits, which is when the claim was actually submitted. As such, an earlier effective date cannot be granted.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 26, 2003
- Citation
- 0333230
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0333230.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
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