Citation Nr: 21068069
Decision Date: 11/09/21	Archive Date: 11/09/21

DOCKET NO. 18-37 593
DATE: November 9, 2021

ORDER

Service connection for loss of vision is dismissed.

FINDING OF FACT

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been notified that the appellant (the Veteran's widow) died in July 2021.  

CONCLUSION OF LAW

Due to the death of the appellant, the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of the appeal.  38 U.S.C. § 7104; 38 C.F.R. § 20.1302.

REASONS AND BASES FOR FINDING AND CONCLUSION

The Veteran served on active duty from April 1943 to February 1946.  The Veteran died in November 2018.  The appellant, his widow, had been recognized by VA as his substitute claimant.  This matter is before the Board on appeal from an October 2017 rating decision.  

VA received notification that the appellant died in July 2021.  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. 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. 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; 38 C.F.R. § 3.1010(a).

 

 

S.C. KREMBS

Veterans Law Judge

Board of Veterans' Appeals

Attorney for the Board	M. Snyder, Associate Counsel

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 This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.