The Veteran's death was not recognized as a result of the appellant marrying him in February 2015, which did not meet the eligibility criteria for DIC benefits due to insufficient time since separation from service and lack of prior marriage.
The deciding factor: The appellant and Veteran were legally married in February 2015, less than one year before the Veteran's death. The appellant failed to satisfy the eligibility requirements for DIC benefits as her marriage did not meet the required duration or prior marriage criteria.
- 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
- December 14, 2018
- Citation
- 18158263
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 18158263.
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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