Denied
The Veteran's surviving spouse was awarded special monthly pension benefits based on a need for aid and attendance. The Appellant, the adult daughter of the Veteran and decedent, sought payment of additional accrued benefits due to funeral expenses incurred by her sibling and the decedent’s estate. However, she is not entitled to these benefits as she does not meet the legal definition of a child for accrued benefits purposes.
The deciding factor: The Appellant lacks standing to file a claim on behalf of her sibling and the decedent's estate due to failure to provide necessary documentation.
- 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 11, 2019
- Citation
- 19102891
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.