The Board has decided that the effective date for DIC benefits should be changed from July 1, 2016 to July 19, 1992, which is the date of death. However, VA needs to obtain SSA records related to the appellant's claim for widow benefits based on the Veteran’s death.
The deciding factor: VA needs to obtain SSA records pertaining to the appellant's award of SSA widow benefits based on the death of the Veteran.
- Claimed conditions
- Malignant mesothelioma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 21, 2019
- Citation
- 19188193
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19188193.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's death in 1975 was not related to a service-connected disability or any other way. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for the cause of death.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
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