The claim for accrued survivor's pension benefits was denied as the appellant did not file her claim within one year of the date of death of the surviving spouse and no extraordinary circumstances were shown to warrant equitable tolling.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the appellant failed to meet the statutory requirement for filing an accrued benefits claim within one year of the decedent's death, and there was no evidence of extraordinary circumstances justifying equitable tolling.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 1, 2025
- Citation
- 25005997
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
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.