Denied
The appellant was denied recognition as the surviving spouse of the veteran for VA Death Pension purposes because she knew about the legal impediment to a lawful marriage.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the appellant's 'marriage' to the veteran is not deemed valid, as she was aware of the legal impediment to it.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 18, 2009
- Citation
- 0905916
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.