Citation Nr: 1315477	
Decision Date: 05/10/13    Archive Date: 05/15/13

DOCKET NO.  11-177 767	)	DATE
	)
	)

On appeal from the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Lincoln, Nebraska


THE ISSUES

1. Entitlement to compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 (West 2002) for blindness due to medication (Warfarin) taken for service connected disabilities. 

2. Entitlement to special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance. 



REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by:	The American Legion


ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

William J. Jefferson III, Counsel


INTRODUCTION

The Veteran served on active duty from June 1958 to May 1962. 

This matter comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from a November 2010 rating decision issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Lincoln, Nebraska. 


FINDING OF FACT

In March 2013, VA received notification that the Veteran had died on February [redacted], 2013. 


CONCLUSION OF LAW

Due to the death of the Appellant, the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this claim at this time. 38 U.S.C.A. § 7104(a) (West 2002); 38 C.F.R. § 20.1302 (2012); but see Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2008, Pub. L. No. 110-389, § 212, 122 Stat. 4145, 4151 (2008). 


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.A. § 7104(a) (West 2002); 38 C.F.R. § 20.1302 (2012). 

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 (2012). 

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 Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2008, Pub. L. No. 110-389, § 212, 122 Stat. 4145, 4151 (2008) (creating new 38 U.S.C. § 5121A, substitution in case of death of a claimant who dies on or after October 10, 2008). As provided for in this new provision, a person eligible for substitution will include "a living person who would be eligible to receive accrued benefits due to the claimant under section 5121(a) of this title ...." The Secretary will be issuing regulations governing the rules and procedures for substitution upon death. Until such regulations are issued, 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 Regional Office from which the claim originated (listed on the first page of this decision). 


ORDER

The appeal is dismissed.



____________________________________________
K. PARAKKAL
Veterans Law Judge, Board of Veterans' Appeals



Department of Veterans Affairs