The Board denied the veteran's claim for non-service connected death pension benefits and dependency and indemnity compensation based on service connection for the cause of his death, as well as accrued benefits. The decedent did not serve in active military service and thus was not considered a veteran for these purposes.
The deciding factor: The decedent served with the Merchant Marine after August 15, 1945, which is not qualifying service under VA laws.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 9, 2019
- Citation
- 19102090
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
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