The Veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension and special monthly pension based on the need for aid and attendance prior to May 6, 2015 was denied because his ex-wife's assets were considered part of the combined estate, making it unreasonable that some part of the corpus of such estates be consumed for the veteran's maintenance.
The deciding factor: The Veteran and his now ex-wife were not considered estranged prior to their divorce on May 6, 2015, which meant her income and assets were included in the net worth calculation. The Board found it reasonable that some part of the combined estate should be consumed for the veteran's maintenance.
- Claimed conditions
- arthritis, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), loss of use of the right hand
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 11, 2017
- Citation
- 1745142
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 1745142.
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: Denied
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- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for right foot disability status post Mitchell's bunionectomy is granted with an effective date of July 25, 2023.,The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for left foot disability status post Mitchell's bunionectomy is dismissed as it does not meet the criteria for an earlier effective date.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for asthma, COPD, pancreatitis, stroke, and left arm weakness (claimed as secondary to stroke) based on the presumption of exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service or due to in-service exposure.
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