The Board has determined that the appellant was not married to the Veteran continuously until his death, and their separation in 1963 was due to the misconduct of the Veteran without fault on her part. Therefore, she is not eligible for recognition as the surviving spouse for VA death benefits.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows significant concerns with respect to the overall credibility of the appellant regarding the reason for separation from the Veteran and their continuous cohabitation until his death.
- 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
- April 19, 2012
- Citation
- 1214371
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 1214371.
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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