The Board denied the appellant's claim for recognition as the surviving spouse of the Veteran, finding that there was no continuous cohabitation from the date of marriage to the date of death and that the separation was not entirely due to the fault of the Veteran.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed a separation between the appellant and the Veteran, with the appellant moving away for 6 months in Florida while the Veteran was forced into a homeless shelter. The appellant did not attempt to reconcile after her return from Florida.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 31, 2018
- Citation
- 1806154
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 1806154.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.