The Board has determined that the appellant is not entitled to recognition as the surviving spouse of the Veteran for purposes of VA death benefits due to their separation, which was not due to the misconduct or procurement by the Veteran without fault of the appellant.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows a separation between the appellant and the Veteran in the mid-1960s, with no mutual consent for convenience, health, business, or any other reason that did not show an intent on the part of the appellant to desert the Veteran.
- 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
- October 31, 2011
- Citation
- 1140396
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 1140396.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
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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