The Board denied the claim for an earlier effective date for DIC benefits, finding that the 2014 informal claim was abandoned and no new claims were submitted after March 24, 2015.
The deciding factor: The Board found that neither the appellant nor anyone on her behalf completed the 2014 informal claim within a year of its receipt, making it considered abandoned. No new claims were submitted after March 24, 2015, when VA changed its regulations regarding informal claims.
- 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 7, 2020
- Citation
- 20000896
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.