Denied
The appellant, who is the veteran's adult step son, was denied entitlement to accrued benefits as he did not qualify as a child of the veteran and there was no evidence that he bore the expenses of the veteran's last sickness or burial.
The deciding factor: There was no evidence showing that the appellant bore the expenses of the veteran's last sickness or burial, and he does not qualify as a 'child' for accrued benefits purposes.
- 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 30, 2009
- Citation
- 0903401
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.