Citation Nr: 1807904	
Decision Date: 02/07/18    Archive Date: 02/20/18

DOCKET NO.  16-25 755	)	DATE
	)
	)

On appeal from the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in St. Louis, Missouri


THE ISSUE

Entitlement to a rating higher than 0 percent prior to April 21, 2016, and higher than 10 percent after April 21, 2016, for left lower extremity sciatica.


REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by:	Missouri Veterans Commission


ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

S. Layton, Counsel


INTRODUCTION

The Veteran had active service from January 1974 to January 1976.

This matter comes to the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) on appeal from November 2014, June 2015, and May 2016 rating decisions of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO) in St. Louis, Missouri.


FINDING OF FACT

On December 5, 2017 the Board was notified by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office, St. Louis, Missouri, that the appellant died in November 2017.


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) (2012); 38 C.F.R. § 20.1302 (2017). 


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 (Fed. Cir. 1996); Smith v. Brown, 10 Vet. App. 330 (1997); Landicho v. Brown, 7 Vet. App. 42 (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.  38 U.S.C. § 7104(a) (2012); 38 C.F.R. § 20.1302 (2017).

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 (2017).  

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.  Any request must be filed not later than one year after the date of the appellant's death.  38 U.S.C.A. § 5121 (2012); 38 C.F.R. § 3.1010(b) (2017).  A person eligible for substitution includes a living person who would be eligible to receive accrued benefits due to the claimant under 38 U.S.C. § 5121(a).  38 U.S.C. § 5121A (2012); 38 C.F.R. § 3.1010(a) (2017).  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.  38 C.F.R. § 3.1010(b) (2017). 


ORDER

The appeal is dismissed.



		
Harvey P. Roberts
	Veterans Law Judge, Board of Veterans' Appeals

Department of Veterans Affairs