The appellant was not recognized as the Veteran's surviving spouse for purposes of obtaining VA benefits due to a lack of continuous cohabitation from the date of their marriage until his death.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support the claimant's assertions that she and the Veteran continuously cohabitated, and thus, she does not meet the requirements for recognition as the surviving spouse.
- 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 23, 2009
- Citation
- 0910716
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.