Entitlement to an effective date of July 1, 2019, but no earlier, for the award of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) for the Veteran's death in service is granted, subject to controlling regulations governing…

Board reasoning

The Board found that the Appellant timely filed the DIC claim within one year of the Veteran's death, considering evidence of a casualty assistance representative and the COVID-19 related delays. It determined that the death was in the line of duty and that good cause shown for any delays warrants granting an effective date of July 1, 2019, for the DIC award, rather than the date of claim submission. The Board relied on credible lay and documentary evidence to rebut the presumption of regularity in VA's processing and to conclude the timely filing standard was satisfied.