The Board found that the appellant and the veteran were never married, thus denying her claim for recognition as his surviving spouse for VA benefits purposes.
The deciding factor: The evidence submitted by the appellant to support her claim of marriage was inconsistent with other records and did not provide sufficient credible information to establish a valid marriage between the appellant and the veteran.
- 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 6, 2006
- Citation
- 0609962
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
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.