Citation Nr: 18146877
Decision Date: 11/01/18	Archive Date: 11/01/18

DOCKET NO. 15-45 450
DATE:	November 1, 2018
ORDER
Entitlement to service connection for amputation of the right leg, to include as a result of exposure to herbicides and/or diabetes mellitus is dismissed.
Entitlement to service connection for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with osteomyelitis and discitis (claimed as back pain) is dismissed.
Entitlement to service connection for coronary artery disease is dismissed.
Entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus is dismissed.
Entitlement to service connection for diabetic neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities (claimed as leg pain) is dismissed.
Entitlement to special monthly compensation based upon need of aid and attendance of another/housebound status is dismissed.
FINDING OF FACT
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was notified that the Veteran died in July 2018.
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 FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS
The Veteran had active service from June 1966 to April 1971.  He died in July 2018.  
Dismissal Due to Death of Veteran
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 Veteran 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. 
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).  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; see 38 C.F.R. § 3.1010(a). 
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).

 
K. PARAKKAL
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	T.S.Kelly, Counsel