Citation Nr: 20005350 Decision Date: 01/23/20 Archive Date: 01/22/20 DOCKET NO. 17-12 285 DATE: January 23, 2020 ORDER A claim of service connection for the Veteran’s cause of death is dismissed. A claim of entitlement to a survivor’s pension is dismissed. FINDINGS OF FACT 1. In February 2017, the appellant submitted a VA Form 9, Appeal to the Board, on which she requested additional time to file an appeal rather than appealing the claims of service connection for cause of death and entitlement to a survivor’s pension. 2. The appellant did not perfect the appeal, by filing a substantive appeal for these claims. CONCLUSIONS OF LAW 1. The criteria for dismissal of a claim of service connection for the Veteran’s cause of death have been met. 38 U.S.C. § 7105; 38 C.F.R. § 20.205. 2. The criteria for dismissal of a claim of entitlement to a survivor’s pension have been met. 38 U.S.C. § 7105; 38 C.F.R. § 20.205. REASONS AND BASES FOR FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS The Veteran served on active duty from October 1972 to October 1996. The Veteran died in January 2014. The appellant is his surviving spouse who has been named as substitute claimant. Service connection for cause of death was denied in a November 2015 rating decision, and entitlement to a survivor’s pension was also denied in November 2015. 1. Service connection for cause of death 2. Entitlement to a survivor’s pension Under 38 U.S.C. § 7105, the Board may dismiss any appeal which fails to allege specific error of fact or law in the determination being appealed. In February 2017, the appellant submitted a VA Form 9, Appeal to the Board, on which she requested additional time to file an appeal. She did not check any box on the form, including the ones by which she could indicate that she was appealing some or all of the claims denied in the December 2016 statement of the case. In fact, all she stated was “I am requesting more time to file my appeal.” This was accompanied by a letter in which she stated, “I am requesting more time to file my appeal. I have not been able to acquire all of the information that is needed for the appeal.” No additional correspondence was submitted or received thereafter. In November 2019, the Board, having found a jurisdictional defect with the appeal, notified the appellant of the defect and invited her to submit argument or evidence to the Board. She has not responded to this November 2019 correspondence. Therefore, the Board finds that the appellant has not perfected an appeal of the issues of service connection for the Veteran’s cause of death and entitlement to a survivor’s pension as there are no allegations of errors of fact or law for appellate consideration with regard to this appeal. Accordingly, the Board does not have jurisdiction to review the appeal, and the claims for service connection for the Veteran’s cause of death and entitlement to a survivor’s pension are dismissed. C. CRAWFORD Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney for the Board J. George The Board’s decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential, and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.