The Veteran died in February 1995 from aspiration pneumonitis, chronic vegetative state, and intracranial infection. The appellant remarried in September 1996 and is not entitled to DIC benefits as the surviving spouse of the Veteran due to the timing of her remarriage.
The deciding factor: The appellant remarried within one year of the Veteran's death, which terminated her eligibility for DIC benefits as a surviving spouse.
- Claimed conditions
- aspiration pneumonitis, chronic vegetative state, intracranial infection
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 7, 2015
- Citation
- 1515004
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1515004.
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).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected CML caused several disabilities, including loss of use of bilateral lower extremities (eosinophilic fasciitis), erosive esophagitis, aspiration pneumonitis, right upper and left upper extremity eosinophilic fasciitis, thoracolumbar spine eosinophilic fasciitis, cervical spine eosinophilic fasciitis, and malnutrition. Effective December 6, 2017, service connection was granted for these conditions.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted the appellant's request to reopen her claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death. The issue is now remanded for a VA medical opinion regarding whether service-connected hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus contributed to the Veteran's death.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, resulting in a denial.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence showing a causal relationship between any service-connected disability and the Veteran's death.
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