The Board denied an effective date prior to May 30, 2017 for the addition of the Veteran's spouse to his VA disability compensation award. The decision found that no claim was filed earlier than May 30, 2017 and that any inference of a dependency claim based on CHAMPVA benefits does not constitute an informal claim by the Veteran.
The deciding factor: The Board determined there was no legal basis to grant an effective date prior to May 30, 2017 for the addition of the Veteran's spouse as his dependent to his VA disability compensation award due to lack of a specific claim and the separate nature of CHAMPVA 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
- October 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19179100
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.