Court Opinion

ID: 4317997
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2018-10-03 21:01:04.063577+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:13:56.088828
License: Public Domain

Citation Nr: 1829784	
Decision Date: 08/13/18    Archive Date: 08/17/18

DOCKET NO.  18-26 349	)	DATE
	)
	)

On appeal from the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Louisville, Kentucky

THE ISSUES

1.  Entitlement to service connection for a left knee disorder.

2.  Entitlement to service connection for a right knee disorder.

3.  Entitlement to service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

REPRESENTATION

Veteran represented by:	Robert V. Chisholm, Attorney

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

Tracie N. Wesner, Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The Veteran served on active duty in the United States Navy from August 1965 to September 1968.

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a September 2013 rating decision from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO).   

FINDING OF FACT

The Veteran died in July 2018.

CONCLUSION OF LAW

Due to the death of the Veteran, the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.  38 U.S.C. § 7104(a); 38 C.F.R. § 20.1302. 

REASONS AND BASES FOR FINDING AND CONCLUSION

Unfortunately, the Veteran died during the pendency of the appeal.  As a matter of law, appellants' claims do not survive their deaths.  Zevalkink v. Brown, 102 F.3d 1236, 1243-44 (Fed. Cir. 1996); Smith v. Brown, 10 Vet. App. 330, 333-34 (1997); Landicho v. Brown, 7 Vet. App. 42, 47 (1994).  This appeal on the merits has become moot by virtue of the death of the appellant and must be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.  See 38 U.S.C. § 7104(a); 38 C.F.R. § 20.1302.

In reaching this determination, the Board intimates no opinion as to the merits of this appeal or to any derivative claim brought by a survivor of the Veteran.  38 C.F.R. § 20.1106.  

The Board's dismissal of this appeal does not affect the right of an eligible person to file a request to be substituted as the appellant for purposes of processing the claim to completion.  Such request must be filed not later than one year after the date of the appellant's death.  See 38 U.S.C. § 5121A; 38 C.F.R. § 3.1010(b).  A person eligible for substitution includes "a living person who would be eligible to receive accrued benefits due to the claimant under section 5121(a) of this title ...."  38 U.S.C. § 5121A; see 38 C.F.R. § 3.1010(a).  An eligible party seeking substitution in an appeal that has been dismissed by the Board due to the death of the claimant should file a request for substitution with the VA office from which the claim originated (listed on the first page of this decision).  38 C.F.R. § 3.1010(b). 

ORDER

The appeal is dismissed.

		
STEVEN D. REISS
	Veterans Law Judge, Board of Veterans' Appeals

Department of Veterans Affairs