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VA RIN: 2900-AN91 Publication ID: 2012 
Title: Substitution In Case of Death of Claimant 
Abstract: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is amending its regulations concerning adjudication of claims, representation of claimants, and Board of Veterans' Appeals rules of practice. These amendments would implement section 212 of the Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2008, which allows an eligible survivor to substitute for a deceased claimant in order to complete the processing of the deceased claimant's claim. The intended effect of these amendments is to clarify the rules and procedures for those situations in which substitution is authorized. Under section 212, if a claimant dies while his or her claim or appeal is pending before VA, a survivor who would be eligible for accrued benefits under existing statutory authority may, not later than one year after the death of the claimant, request to be substituted for the claimant for the purposes of processing the claim or appeal to completion. Accordingly, after substitution, VA will continue to process the claim or appeal as if the claimant had not died. These amendments clarify the following matters: eligibility for substitution, how an eligible survivor makes a request to substitute, how VA responds to requests to substitute, a substitute's rights in adjudication, limitations related to substitution, order of preference among eligible survivors, representation of substitutes, and procedures for substitution when a claim is before the Board of Veterans' Appeals. 
Agency: Department of Veterans Affairs(VA)  Priority: Substantive, Nonsignificant 
RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Final Rule Stage 
Major: No  Unfunded Mandates: No 
CFR Citation: 38 CFR 3.1010    38 CFR 14.630(e)    38 CFR 14.631    38 CFR 20.900(a)    ...     (To search for a specific CFR, visit the Code of Federal Regulations.)
Legal Authority: 38 USC 5121A   
Legal Deadline:  None
Timetable:
Action Date FR Cite
NPRM  02/15/2011  76 FR 8666   
NPRM Comment Period End  04/18/2011    
NPRM Comment Period Reopened  07/15/2011  76 FR 39062   
Second NPRM Comment Period End  08/04/2011    
Final Action  04/00/2013 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No  Government Levels Affected: None 
Small Entities Affected: No  Federalism: No 
Included in the Regulatory Plan: No 
Public Comment URL: www.regulations.gov  
RIN Data Printed in the FR: No 
Agency Contact:
Robert P. Watkins
Pension and Fiduciary Service (211D)
Department of Veterans Affairs
810 Vermont Avenue NW.,
Washington, DC 20420
Phone:202 632-8863
Email: robert.watkins2@va.gov