Court Opinion

ID: 4359250
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2019-01-16 18:01:26.274274+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:24:33.294356
License: Public Domain

Citation Nr: 1829930	
Decision Date: 11/07/18    Archive Date: 11/21/18

DOCKET NO.  18-37 068	)	DATE
	)
	)

On appeal from the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for skin cancer of the right cheek.

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

J. E. Miller, Associate Counsel

INTRODUCTION

The Veteran served in the U.S. Air Force from September 1968 to December 1968.

FINDING OF FACT

On August 24, 2018, the Board was notified that the Veteran died.

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) (2012); 38 C.F.R. § 20.1302 (2017). 

REASONS AND BASES FOR FINDING AND CONCLUSION

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 Veteran and must be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction. See 38 U.S.C. § 7104(a) (2012); 38 C.F.R. § 20.1302 (2017).

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 (2017).  

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 Veteran's death. See 38 U.S.C. § 5121A (2012); 38 C.F.R. § 3.1010(b) (2017). 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 (2012); see 38 C.F.R. § 3.1010(a) (2017). 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) (2017). 

ORDER

The appeal is dismissed.

		
Vito A. Clementi
	Veterans Law Judge, Board of Veterans' Appeals

Department of Veterans Affairs