The Board has granted the Appellant's recognition as the Veteran's surviving spouse for VA benefits purposes, based on continuous cohabitation and lack of knowledge of legal impediments to a common law marriage.
The deciding factor: The evidence established that the Appellant and the Veteran lived together continuously as a couple since 2004 until the Veteran's death in 2013, and there was no other claimant found to be entitled to VA benefits. The Appellant had no knowledge of any legal impediments to their common law 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
- August 4, 2023
- Citation
- 23043112
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 23043112.
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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