The appellant does not qualify for VA death benefits as a 'surviving spouse' of the Veteran due to lack of valid marriage under Philippine law.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not confirm a valid marriage between the veteran and appellant under the law of the place where they resided at the time of their marriage, specifically Article 76 of the Philippine Civil Code was not satisfied as required documents were not provided.
- 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 20, 2009
- Citation
- 0906393
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.