The Board has determined that the appellant may need to be recognized as the surviving spouse of the Veteran for VA benefits purposes, including death pension and dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) benefits. However, this determination is contingent on further investigation into the separation between the appellant and the Veteran at the time of his death in January 1974, as well as her subsequent marriage to W.D.
The deciding factor: The evidence suggests that the appellant and the Veteran were married but separated at the time of the Veteran's death. The effect of this separation on their marital status is unclear and requires further investigation.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 17, 2012
- Citation
- 1206125
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 1206125.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
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