Citation Nr: 1611082	
Decision Date: 03/18/16    Archive Date: 03/23/16

DOCKET NO.  15-15 610	)	DATE
	)
	)

On appeal from the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Newark, New Jersey


THE ISSUES

1.  Whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim for service connection for hepatitis C.

2.  Whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen a claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss.

3.  Entitlement to service connection for a bilateral knee disorder.

4.  Entitlement to service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities.

5.  Entitlement to service connection for lumbar radiculopathy.


REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by:	Disabled American Veterans


ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

S. Layton, Counsel


INTRODUCTION

The Veteran served on active duty from February 1972 to April 1975

This case comes before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (the Board) on appeal from a December 2012 rating decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in Newark, New Jersey.  

The Board has reviewed the Veteran's electronic records (Virtual VA and VBMS) prior to rendering a decision in this case.


FINDING OF FACT

On March 6, 2016, the Board was notified that the appellant died in January 2016.


CONCLUSION OF LAW

Due to the death of the appellant, the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.  38 U.S.C.A. § 7104(a) (West 2014); 38 C.F.R. § 20.1302 (2015). 


REASONS AND BASES FOR FINDING AND CONCLUSION

Unfortunately, the appellant 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 2014); 38 C.F.R. § 20.1302 (2015).

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 (2015).  

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.A. § 5121A (West 2014); 38 C.F.R. § 3.1010(b) (2015).  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.A. § 5121A (West 2014); see 38 C.F.R. § 3.1010(a) (2015).  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) (2015). 


ORDER

The appeal is dismissed.




		
BRADLEY W. HENNINGS
	Veterans Law Judge, Board of Veterans' Appeals

Department of Veterans Affairs