The Veteran's death certificate indicates he was divorced, and the appellant has provided inconsistent statements regarding her relationship with the Veteran. The Board found that there had not been continuous cohabitation between them from the date of marriage to the date of the Veteran’s death.
The deciding factor: The appellant did not provide credible evidence of continuous cohabitation until the time of the Veteran's death, and the filing of a divorce petition communicated a definite intent to end the marriage.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 21, 2020
- Citation
- 20035391
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20035391.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
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