The Board denied recognition of the appellant as the Veteran's surviving spouse for VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefit purposes due to a prior divorce, finding that the appellant no longer meets the requirements of a valid marriage.
The deciding factor: The appellant and the Veteran had divorced before the Veteran’s death, which terminated their marital status and prevented the appellant from being recognized as his surviving spouse for VA 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
- January 14, 2020
- Citation
- 20002650
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.