Denied
The veteran died from metastatic cancer of the esophagus, and there is no legal entitlement to VA burial benefits as he was not receiving compensation or pension at the time of his death.
The deciding factor: The veteran's death did not meet any of the criteria for non-service connected burial benefits under applicable regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic cancer of the esophagus
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 23, 2009
- Citation
- 0902451
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.