38 U.S.C. § 7105A (VETERANS’ BENEFITS)
§ 7105A. Simultaneously contested claims
(a) In simultaneously contested claims where one is allowed and one rejected, the time allowed for the filing of a notice of disagreement shall be sixty days from the date notice of the adverse action is mailed. In such cases the agency of original jurisdiction shall promptly notify all parties in interest at the last known address of the action taken, expressly inviting attention to the fact that notice of disagreement will not be entertained unless filed within the sixty-day period prescribed by this subsection.
(b) Upon the filing of a notice of disagreement, all parties in interest will be furnished with a statement of the case in the same manner as is prescribed in section 7105. The party in interest who filed a notice of disagreement will be allowed thirty days from the date of mailing of such statement of the case in which to file a formal appeal. Extension of time may be granted for good cause shown but with consideration to the interests of the other parties involved. The substance of the appeal will be communicated to the other party or parties in interest and a period of thirty days will be allowed for filing a brief or argument in answer thereto. Such notice shall be forwarded to the last known address of record of the parties concerned, and such action shall constitute sufficient evidence of notice.
(Added Pub. L. 87–666, § 1, Sept. 19, 1962, 76 Stat. 554, § 4005A; renumbered § 7105A and amended Pub. L. 102–40, title IV, § 402(b)(1), (d)(1), May 7, 1991, 105 Stat. 238, 239; Pub. L. 115–55, § 2(r), Aug. 23, 2017, 131 Stat. 1112.)
heading: Amendment of Subsection (b)
text: Pub. L. 115–55, § 2(r), (x), Aug. 23, 2017, 131 Stat. 1112, 1115, provided that, applicable to all claims for which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs provides notice of a decision under section 5104 of this title on or after the later of 540 days after Aug. 23, 2017, or 30 days after the date on which the Secretary submits to Congress a certification of certain capabilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs to carry out the new appeals system established by Pub. L. 115–55 and to address appeals of decisions on legacy claims, with provision for early applicability of the new appeals system to certain claims, subsection (b) of this section is amended to read as follows:
(b)(1) The substance of the notice of disagreement shall be communicated to the other party or parties in interest and a period of thirty days shall be allowed for filing a brief or argument in response thereto.
(2) Such notice shall be forwarded to the last known address of record of the parties concerned, and such action shall constitute sufficient evidence of notice.
See 2017 Amendment note below.
heading: Prior Provisions
text: Provisions similar to those comprising this section were contained in former section 4007 of this title, prior to the general amendment of sections 4005 to 4007 by Pub. L. 87–666.
heading: Amendments
text: 2017—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 115–55 amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) read as follows: “Upon the filing of a notice of disagreement, all parties in interest will be furnished with a statement of the case in the same manner as is prescribed in section 7105. The party in interest who filed a notice of disagreement will be allowed thirty days from the date of mailing of such statement of the case in which to file a formal appeal. Extension of time may be granted for good cause shown but with consideration to the interests of the other parties involved. The substance of the appeal will be communicated to the other party or parties in interest and a period of thirty days will be allowed for filing a brief or argument in answer thereto. Such notice shall be forwarded to the last known address of record of the parties concerned, and such action shall constitute sufficient evidence of notice.”
1991—Pub. L. 102–40 renumbered section 4005A of this title as this section and substituted “7105” for “4005” in subsec. (b).
heading: Effective Date of 2017 Amendment
text: Amendment by Pub. L. 115–55 applicable to all claims for which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs provides notice of a decision under section 5104 of this title on or after the later of 540 days after Aug. 23, 2017, or 30 days after the date on which the Secretary submits to Congress a certification of certain capabilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs to carry out the new appeals system established by Pub. L. 115–55 and to address appeals of decisions on legacy claims, with provision for early applicability of the new appeals system to certain claims, see section 2(x) of Pub. L. 115–55, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.
heading: Effective Date
text: Section effective Jan. 1, 1963, see section 3 of Pub. L. 87–666, set out as a note under section 7105 of this title.