The appellant's claim for death benefits was denied because she is not the surviving spouse of the Veteran.
The deciding factor: No new and material evidence has been presented to show that the appellant qualifies as the surviving spouse of the Veteran, as they were divorced in 1988, almost two years prior to his 1990 death.
- 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 10, 2009
- Citation
- 0908798
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.