Denied
The Veteran's surviving spouse was awarded aid and attendance allowance, but died before receiving the benefits. The appellant filed a claim for accrued benefits on behalf of his mother (the deceased spouse), but failed to provide evidence that he paid any expenses related to her last illness or burial. As such, the appeal is denied.
The deciding factor: The appellant did not submit evidence showing he paid final expenses for the deceased spouse's last illness or burial.
- 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
- 19101820
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.