The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for recognition of his current spouse, J.A.R., as a dependent spouse for additional dependency compensation. The earliest possible effective date allowed by law is May 9, 2017, when VA received the Veteran's written claim.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the preponderance of evidence was against the Veteran's claim and denied it based on the statutory requirement that a claim for additional dependency compensation must be submitted within one year of the marriage event.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 9, 2020
- Citation
- 20065885
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.