Denied
The Board denied the appellant's claim for recognition as the Veteran's surviving spouse for VA death benefits because they were married less than a year before his death and Puerto Rico does not recognize common law marriage.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the requirement that the marriage must have occurred one year or more prior to the Veteran's death, which was not met in this case.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 25, 2025
- Citation
- A25055157
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.