The Board denied the appellant's claim for eligibility to VA death benefits, finding that her spouse had no service as a member of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and thus was not eligible for VA benefits.
The deciding factor: The service department certified that the appellant's spouse had no service with the United States Armed Forces, including as a recognized guerrilla in World War II.
- Claimed conditions
- gunshot wound to the neck
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 20, 2011
- Citation
- 1146486
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1146486.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, Social Security Administration (SSA) records, and scheduling a VA examination to determine the effect of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities on his employability.
- Denied
The veteran's claim for special monthly compensation at the aid and attendance or housebound rate is denied as he does not meet the schedular requirements for housebound status due to his service-connected disabilities, and there is no evidence that his need for aid and attendance is solely due to a service-connected disability.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the veteran's in-service self-inflicted gunshot wound to the neck was not due to willful misconduct, and service connection for residuals of a gunshot wound to the neck is granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has ordered a remand for further development of the veteran's claim, including an examination to determine the extent and severity of his disability due to the gunshot wound to the neck. The RO is instructed to consider all relevant rating criteria and avoid pyramiding with any other disabilities already rated.
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