The Board denied the claim for entitlement to the surviving spouse's month of death payment as the Appellant, who is the adult son of the Veteran's surviving spouse, does not meet the eligibility criteria.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not demonstrate that the Appellant was a 'child' of the Veteran within the meaning of 38 C.F.R. § 3.57, and there were no unpaid benefits due to the Veteran at the time of his death.
- 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 16, 2024
- Citation
- A24066320
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.