Citation Nr: 18154198
Decision Date: 11/29/18	Archive Date: 11/29/18

DOCKET NO. 15-46 220
DATE:	November 29, 2018
ORDER
The appeal concerning entitlement to nonservice-connected pension based on countable income from February 1, 2014 to February 1, 2015 is dismissed.
FINDING OF FACT
While the appeal was pending, and prior to issuance of a final decision, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) received notice that the Veteran died in October 2018.
CONCLUSION OF LAW
Due to the death of the Veteran, the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of the appeal listed on the title page 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 from October 1951 to October 1953.
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).  The appeal of this issue 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.  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 Veteran’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; 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). 
 
Nathan Kroes
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	C. Boyd Iwanowski, Counsel 

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