Veterans’ RightsAn independent resource for veterans
← All decisions
Denied

The Veteran's death was not due to his own willful misconduct, but he did not meet the criteria for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 as he had been receiving compensation for a disability rated as totally disabling for less than 10 years before his death.

The deciding factor: The Veteran's compensation was rated as totally disabling for less than 10 years immediately preceding his death, which is not sufficient to meet the requirements of 38 U.S.C. § 1318.

Claimed conditions
Total Hearing Loss
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
None in this decision
Decision date
March 21, 2022
Citation
22016042

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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 22016042.

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

Related decisions

Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.

Free starter guide for your own claim

Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.

We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.

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.