Denied
The appellant was married to the veteran for less than one year, which prevented her recognition as the veteran's 'surviving spouse' for VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation purposes.
The deciding factor: The marriage between the veteran and the appellant did not meet the required duration under applicable law, thus denying eligibility for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation 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
- January 6, 2009
- Citation
- 0900471
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.