The appellant was denied recognition as the surviving spouse due to evidence showing that she and the Veteran were divorced in January 1994, and there is no proof of a valid marriage or common law marriage.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the fact that the death certificate listed the appellant as the ex-wife of the Veteran, and there was no evidence of a valid marriage or common law marriage between them.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 3, 2009
- Citation
- 0907729
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.