Denied
The Board denied DIC benefits as the surviving spouse because the Appellant and Veteran were divorced in 1972, which bars her from eligibility for status as his surviving spouse.
The deciding factor: The divorce between the Appellant and the Veteran was a bar to eligibility for status as the Veteran's surviving spouse due to their prior marriage being invalid under VA regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 7, 2020
- Citation
- A20018032
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.