The Board denied the Appellant's claim for recognition as the Veteran's surviving spouse, which would have allowed her to receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits.
The deciding factor: The evidence of record does not support a finding that the Appellant was married to the Veteran at the time of his death, as their marriage ended in divorce in February 2016, before the Veteran's death in December 2021.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 12, 2025
- Citation
- A25022743
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.