The Veteran's death was not considered to meet the eligibility criteria for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits, death pension benefits, or accrued benefits due to lack of legal marriage prior to the Veteran’s separation from service.
The deciding factor: The appellant and the Veteran were not legally married for one year or more prior to the Veteran's death, and there was no evidence that any child was born during their relationship. The appellant did not meet the eligibility requirements for VA benefits at the time of the Veteran's death.
- 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 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19102912
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.