The Board has recognized the appellant as the Veteran's surviving spouse for VA death benefits purposes, finding that there was continuous cohabitation despite a legal separation.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the separation between the Veteran and the appellant was by mutual consent and not due to fault on either party’s part. The appellant maintained contact with the Veteran and did not initiate divorce proceedings or hold herself out as his spouse to others.
- 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
- November 5, 2020
- Citation
- 20071427
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 20071427.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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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