Denied
The Veteran's death pension claim is denied because the Appellant was legally divorced from the Veteran at the time of his death and did not meet the requirements to be considered a surviving spouse.
The deciding factor: The Appellant was legally divorced from the Veteran more than three years before his death, which disqualifies her from being considered as a surviving spouse for VA benefits purposes.
- 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 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19101688
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.