The appellant's deceased spouse did not have the requisite service to qualify the appellant for VA death benefits.
The deciding factor: The National Personnel Records Center confirmed that the appellant's deceased spouse had no recognized military service with the United States Armed Forces, and therefore, the appellant is not eligible for VA death benefits as a matter of law.
- 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 18, 2009
- Citation
- 0910081
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.