The claim for recognition as the Veteran's surviving spouse was denied because there was no evidence of a valid marriage or common law marriage, and the appellant did not provide any evidence that she and the Veteran remarried after their divorce. The Board found insufficient evidence to support her claims.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence of a valid marriage or common law marriage between the appellant and the Veteran, nor was there any evidence provided by the appellant regarding remarriage after their divorce.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 14, 2019
- Citation
- 19146802
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.