The Veteran's cause of death was due to Multiple Sclerosis, which he had been service-connected for since August 29, 2013. The appellant filed a request for substitution in February 2021 and received DIC benefits on November 28, 2023. She is seeking an earlier effective date but the claim was not submitted prior to March 24, 2015, when formal claims were required.
The deciding factor: The appellant's request for substitution did not include a formal claim for DIC benefits and her claim was received after the deadline for filing such a claim.
- Claimed conditions
- Multiple Sclerosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 20, 2026
- Citation
- A26004874
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A26004874.
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The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining records of the Appellant's reserve component service and conducting a VA examination to determine if her multiple sclerosis is related to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the previously denied claims for service connection for Multiple Sclerosis, Hypertension, and Headaches. The case is being remanded to allow for further consideration.
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