The Board determined that the appellant did not attain the status of claimant as she was not entitled to recognition as the veteran's surviving spouse for purposes of VA DIC benefits.
The deciding factor: The appellant and the veteran were married in June 1973, but their marriage ended when the veteran obtained a divorce from the appellant in November 1977. The appellant did not live with the veteran continuously until his death, and she was unaware of the divorce decree until 1996.
- 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 8, 2006
- Citation
- 0628225
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 0628225.
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.