The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine if the appellant can be recognized as the surviving spouse of the Veteran for VA benefits purposes. The AOJ should search for any divorce decrees between the Veteran and the appellant.
The deciding factor: There are conflicting evidentiary issues regarding whether the appellant is entitled to recognition as the surviving spouse of the Veteran.
- 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 16, 2019
- Citation
- 19104050
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
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.