The appellant was not recognized as the veteran's surviving spouse for purposes of VA death benefits due to insufficient evidence supporting a valid common law marriage.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was no sufficient evidence to establish a valid common law or legal marriage between the appellant and the veteran, which is necessary for recognition as his surviving spouse for VA death benefits.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 27, 2008
- Citation
- 0810089
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.