Davidson County Veteran Services: COVID-19 and Service-Connected death benefits

For a time, many veterans who passed away with COVID-19 automatically had COVID listed as the lone cause of death. This caused many surviving spouses to miss out on Veteran Administration benefits.

Recently the VA changed their position concerning COVID listed death.

Now, the survivor spouse of a Veteran who died from COVID-19 and a service-related condition, which made the conditions fatal, may be eligible for VA DIC.

The VA will now take into consideration the service-related illness(s) even if it is not listed on the death certificate.

For instance, if a veteran had a service-related form of cancer and contracted COVID-19 from which he died, the death certificate possibly listed COVI-19 alone as the cause of death. It is reasonable to assume the veteran may have survived COVID if they did not have the service-related cancer. If this is the cause, the surviving spouse would now be eligible for Dependency Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits.

A veteran who had a service-related condition that did not contribute to the COVID death would not fall into this category. As an example, a service-related knee problem would not have contributed to the COVID death. Therefore, DIC would not apply.

If you are the surviving spouse of a veteran who died with COVID and a service related condition, please the Davidson County Veteran Service Office.

We will be happy to explain this new change and assist you in filing a claim if needed.

Our number is 336-242-2037.

You can find the information at About VA DIC For Spouses, Dependents, And Parents | Veterans Affairs.
https://www.va.gov/disability/dependency-indemnity-compensation/

Please share this throughout the veteran community.