The Board denied the appellant's claim for recognition as the Veteran's surviving spouse for purposes of VA death benefits.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support that the appellant and the Veteran held themselves out as married or cohabitated continuously from the date of their purported marriage until his death, due to contradictory statements and lack of supporting evidence.
- 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 13, 2022
- Citation
- 22001925
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.