The Board has remanded the case for consideration of Pennsylvania law on common law marriage, as the RO failed to consider this law in its August 2007 decision. The appellant must provide evidence and argument regarding whether she entered into a valid common law marriage with the Veteran.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the RO did not consider Pennsylvania case law pertaining to common law marriage when deciding the issue of surviving spouse status.
- 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
- March 8, 2012
- Citation
- 1208940
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 1208940.
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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