Citation Nr: 18140915
Decision Date: 10/09/18	Archive Date: 10/09/18

DOCKET NO. 16-21 904
DATE:	October 9, 2018
REMANDED
Entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty from May 1960 to January 1963.  He died in March 2015.  The appellant is his surviving spouse.  This matter comes before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a May 2015 rating decision (notification in June 2015).
Entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death is remanded.
The appellant seeks entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death.  The Veteran’s death certificate indicates that his cause of death was metastatic prostate carcinoma.  At the time of his death, the Veteran had an appeal pending for the issue of service connection for prostate cancer.  For that appeal, the appellant has been accepted as claimant in substitution of the Veteran.  See NOTE in May 2015 rating decision.  The appeal of this issue is still pending before the RO.
In September 2014, the Board remanded the latter for additional development.  
As the appellant’s claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death is inextricably intertwined with the appeal for the issue of service connection for prostate cancer, the Board finds that adjudication of the issue of service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death must be deferred until after the development for the issue of service connection for prostate cancer has been completed.  
The matter is REMANDED for the following action:
After the development for the appeal related to the issue of service connection for prostate cancer has been completed and that issue has been readjudicated, readjudicate the issue of service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death.  If the benefit sought is not granted to the Veteran’s satisfaction, send the appellant and her representative a Supplemental Statement of the Case and provide an opportunity to respond.  
If necessary, return the case to the Board for further appellate review.
 
Paul Sorisio
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	P. López, Associate Counsel