The Veteran died in a drowning accident and was buried in January 2014. The appellant filed for nonservice-connected burial benefits, but the claim was denied as there were no service-connected conditions at the time of death.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not have any pending claims for compensation or pension at the time of his death, nor was he discharged from active duty due to a disability incurred in line of duty. The appellant's claim is therefore denied as there are no legal grounds for nonservice-connected burial benefits.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 16, 2019
- Citation
- 19129021
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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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.