The Board denied the appellant's claim for accrued benefits due to her mother not filing a timely application, and because her mother was not considered the veteran's surviving spouse at the time of his death.
The deciding factor: The appellant's mother did not file an application for accrued benefits within one year after the veteran's death, and she was not considered the veteran's surviving spouse due to their divorce prior to the veteran's death.
- 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 2, 2004
- Citation
- 0408639
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 0408639.
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.