The Board has determined that the appellant and the Veteran had a common law marriage since at least 1980, which is deemed valid under VA regulations. Therefore, the appellant's claim for recognition as the surviving spouse of the Veteran for the purpose of receiving VA death benefits is granted.
The deciding factor: The evidence established that the appellant and the Veteran lived together as husband and wife since at least 1980, held themselves out to the community as such, and were generally accepted in their community. The common law marriage was deemed valid based on these factors.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 17, 2009
- Citation
- 0947745
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0947745.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
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