The Board has remanded the case due to the failure of the AOJ to issue a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC) as required by VA regulations. The SSOC is needed to determine the basis for the denial of death pension benefits and recognition as the surviving spouse.
The deciding factor: The AOJ initially denied the Appellant's pension claim due to income exceeding the maximum annual pension rate, but later determined she did not qualify as the Veteran’s surviving spouse. A supplemental statement of the case is required to address these issues.
- 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 6, 2020
- Citation
- 20000738
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
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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.