The appellant was not recognized as the Veteran's surviving spouse for VA benefit purposes due to a legal impediment that prevented her from marrying the Veteran prior to June 2005.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the appellant entered into an attempted marriage with knowledge of a legal impediment, and thus could not be considered the Veteran's surviving spouse for VA benefits purposes.
- 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 24, 2009
- Citation
- 0910843
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.