The Board has remanded the case to ensure that the Appellant is provided with proper VCAA notice regarding her claim for VA death benefits and accrued benefits as a surviving spouse of the Veteran. The issue now involves determining if the Appellant and the Veteran were married for more than one year prior to the Veteran's death.
The deciding factor: The case was remanded due to issues related to the Appellant's assertion that she and the Veteran entered into a common law marriage prior to their March 2006 civil union, which could affect her eligibility for VA benefits as a surviving spouse.
- 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
- August 12, 2011
- Citation
- 1129970
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1129970.
What this means for you
A remand sends an issue back for more development, often a new examination or missing records. It does not award the benefit or decide the final outcome. The original decision explains the additional work ordered.
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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