Citation Nr: 18144305
Decision Date: 10/24/18	Archive Date: 10/24/18

DOCKET NO. 16-38 713
DATE:	October 24, 2018
ORDER
Entitlement to service connection for hypertension is dismissed.
Entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction is dismissed.
Entitlement to service connection for hypertensive renal disease is dismissed.
Entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus is dismissed.
Entitlement to service connection for a cerebrovascular accident is dismissed.
FINDING OF FACT
The Veteran died in July 2018.
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 § 7104(a); 38 C.F.R. § 20.1302.
REASONS AND BASES FOR FINDING AND CONCLUSION
The Veteran served on active duty with the United States Marine Corps from September 1969 to May 1971.
The Death Dismissals
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 § 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.   
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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).
 
JOHN J CROWLEY
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	Neil T. Werner, Counsel