WPC/  
      G     Hlƕd\7#v`'X_c(RC  vJTxXŢYkJE.oK&j|-b$J}"U=	CX3ed'7&55$HDLeH9DJwHu'[t%+M{DPZǝm|-0!2wEhu~yg6=ƐOFhR?.fUG͙^x$|em;k
Ӧ?TG?=;s꽿oo:5;]x+5Ng?)`v_paKwfEu=\ɚuiS|`Y7Mn*\j{s5Y8'ٖSMD+Cj|E,55 BߝeeU-YEZ'ϧn]M*>~M'Ji=uWDfsOLG--ʘi_pDC77@9g
R5 >           #     d   U   N   o  	%        0        0   ~   _  0   x     0   k   U  0   k     0      +	  0   ~   	  0      C
  0        0        0        0   
    0       0   1    0   C    0   V  1  0        0      V  0        0        0      a  0        0        0        0      T  0   z     0      q  	      U  0   =   f  0   F     0   P     	1      9  0        	1       0        0      l   U   .   #      }  Q    E      #  n   X  #   U   >   (%  	B      f%  n   X  %  n      &  n   X  '  n      (  	1   m   )     @  )  w   L   :+  4      +     @  +        ,   U   N   ,   	      7-     ~  =-   	      /   	      /   	      /   H P   L a s e r J e t   5 / 5 M   -   E n h a n c e d                     HPBXLA               0                                                                                                                                                               ( hH  	   Z  6 T i m e s   N e w   R o m a n   R e g u l a r           X    (   t               F$                  7 (   X  X       d                     7     Z                V       &          8 D o c u m e n t [ 8 ]   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   0    . .  8    `	. . `	      V                8 D o c u m e n t [ 4 ]   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e       . .  .    V                 8 D o c u m e n t [ 6 ]   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   8    . .       V                 8 D o c u m e n t [ 5 ]   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   0    . .       V       /         8 D o c u m e n t [ 2 ]   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   2     A.3
   
 Ԁ
               V       &          8 D o c u m e n t [ 7 ]   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   0    . .  0    `	. . `	      z       U          : R i g h t   P a r [ 1 ]   R i g h t - A l i g n e d   P a r a g r a p h   N u m b e r s       . .  2       I.3
   
 Ԁ     . .  0    . .       z       h          : R i g h t   P a r [ 2 ]   R i g h t - A l i g n e d   P a r a g r a p h   N u m b e r s       . .      `	. .  2      A.3
   
 Ԁ     . .  0    `	. . `	      V       ?         8 D o c u m e n t [ 3 ]   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e       . .  2     1.3
   
 Ԁ
               z       {          : R i g h t   P a r [ 3 ]   R i g h t - A l i g n e d   P a r a g r a p h   N u m b e r s       . .      `	. . `	     . . P
 2      1.3
   
 Ԁ     `	. . `	 0    . .       z                 : R i g h t   P a r [ 4 ]   R i g h t - A l i g n e d   P a r a g r a p h   N u m b e r s       . .      `	. . `	     . .      . .  2      a.3
   
 Ԁ     . .  0    . .       z                 : R i g h t   P a r [ 5 ]   R i g h t - A l i g n e d   P a r a g r a p h   N u m b e r s       . .      `	. . `	     . .      . .      h. .  2      (1)3
   
 Ԁ     . .  0    h. . h      z                 : R i g h t   P a r [ 6 ]   R i g h t - A l i g n e d   P a r a g r a p h   N u m b e r s       . .      `	. . `	     . .      . .      h. . h     . .  2      (a)3
   
 Ԁ     h. . h 0    . .       z                 : R i g h t   P a r [ 7 ]   R i g h t - A l i g n e d   P a r a g r a p h   N u m b e r s       . .      `	. . `	     . .      . .      h. . h     . .      . .  2      i)3
   
 Ԁ     . .  0    . .       z                 : R i g h t   P a r [ 8 ]   R i g h t - A l i g n e d   P a r a g r a p h   N u m b e r s       . .      `	. . `	     . .      . .      h. . h     . .      . .      p. .  2      a)3
   
 Ԁ     . .  0    p. . p      V       X         8 D o c u m e n t [ 1 ]   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e        @    . . ^ 
      2      I.3
   
 Ԁ               Ԉ     l       2         : T e c h n i c a l [ 5 ]   T e c h n i c a l   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e       . .  2     (1)3
   
 Ԁ.    l       2         : T e c h n i c a l [ 6 ]   T e c h n i c a l   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e       . .  2     (a)3
   
 Ԁ.    l       /   %      : T e c h n i c a l [ 2 ]   T e c h n i c a l   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   2     A.3
   
 Ԁ
               . .      l       ,   !      : T e c h n i c a l [ 3 ]   T e c h n i c a l   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   2     1.3
   
 Ԁ
               . .      l      (   !      : T e c h n i c a l [ 4 ]   T e c h n i c a l   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   2     a.3
   
 Ԁ
               . .      l       :   0      : T e c h n i c a l [ 1 ]   T e c h n i c a l   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   
      2      I.3
   
 Ԁ                    . .      l       1         : T e c h n i c a l [ 7 ]   T e c h n i c a l   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e       . .  2     i)3
   
 Ԁ.    l       1         : T e c h n i c a l [ 8 ]   T e c h n i c a l   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e       . .  2     a)3
   
 Ԁ.    R       &          8 B i b l i o g r p h y   B i b l i o g r a p h y   0    . .       . .      f          p        2 D o c   I n i t   I n i t i a l i z e   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e        S 	#  	     
         I. 1. A. a.(1)(a) i) a)                 S                         ! "           (                  $       0
    
  
    
     (                  $       0
    
 0
    
  
    
     (       (           $       0
    
 0
    
 0
    
  
    
   	     
     A _ e k q w    D o c u m e n t   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   I .   1 .   A .   a .   ( 1 )   ( a )   i )   a )         j       o            4 T e c h   I n i t   I n i t i a l i z e   T e c h n i c a l   S t y l e   S 	%                      1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1                  S                                        C u y       T e c h n i c a l   T e c h n i c a l   D o c u m e n t   S t y l e   1   1 . 1   1 . 1 . 1   1 . 1 . 1 . 1   1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1   1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1   1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1   1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1         x   F               42 P l e a d i n g   H e a d e r   f o r   n u m b e r e d   p l e a d i n g   p a p e r                      )        Ha:;     (                  2xr$       
   F!            7 (  U8( X X       d    X   X       d 7     Z                < 6X  9   ` (   C o u r i e r          
   s  
 '  (      (  X  X  X X             X            X > - * '                   *       d       > > - * '                   *       d      >     H  1    H  2    H  3    H  4    H  5    H  6    H  7    H  8    H  9      10      11      12      13      14      15      16      17      18      19      20      21      22      23      24      25      26      27   	 P-0*6   Ї      28"              '      "    < 6X  9   ` (   C o u r i e r                                                                                                         Xx 6X   @ 8; X@) \	  	   `   & T m s R m n       L e g a l   P r o                                                                                   XXt \	    P PU XP) \	  	   `   & T m s R m n       L e g a l   P r o                      d   < 6X  9   ` (   C o u r i e r                                                                                                         Xx 6X   @ 8; X@) \	  	   `   & T m s R m n       L e g a l   P r o                                                                                   XXt \	    P PU XP < 6X  9   ` (   C o u r i e r                                                                                                         Xx 6X   @ 8; X@ < 6X  9   ` (   C o u r i e r                                                                                                         Xx 6X   @ 8; X@) \	  	   `   & T m s R m n       L e g a l   P r o                                                                                   XXt \	    P PU XP < 6X  9   ` (   C o u r i e r                                                                                                         Xx 6X   @ 8; X@                 # e   3 7 = C I Q Y a g       1 .   a .   i .   ( 1 )   ( a )   ( i )   1 )   a )       E l m e r   G i z n i k   L a n d i c h o   Z e v a l k i n k   o p    e n t i t l e m e n t s    Y o m a   R o b i n e t t e   H u d g i n s   C l e a r w a t e r   e m h   A p p   V e t . A p p   3 d   C i r   R O       G  H  I eJ  K  L D M  N  O {P  Q D R  Z/#6                E l m e r   G i z n i k   L a n d i c h o   Z e v a l k i n k   o p    e n t i t l e m e n t s    Y o m a   R o b i n e t t e   H u d g i n s   C l e a r w a t e r   e m h   A p p   V e t . A p p   3 d   C i r   R O    3| x    R  ( uH  	   Z  6 T i m e s   N e w   R o m a n   R e g u l a r           H^                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
            
$   
 '           U S C V A    0    U S C V A   
 .      
       
       
         R    X    ^  
   F!            7 (  E( X X       d                  d 7     Z                     7 ,  , X X       d ( X X       d 7  8  X  X  X X    J=    Q       X       d                 d= JJ=      X   X       d                 d= J@    s
s
   JJ@ @  s
s
  UNITEDSTATESCOURTOFVETERANSAPPEALS   	       @    %  No.971005@      PhilogeneRichard,Appellant,   	 .	~   @    )  v.   	 
J   @    "  HershelW.Gober,   	 	   @    AA  ActingSecretaryOfVeteransAffairs,Appellee.   	 
   @    B	B	  BeforeNEBEKER,ChiefJudge,andFARLEYandIVERS,Judges.   	 ^   ̜ KH% ;    HK@    &  ORDER   	 *z   ̜ D@    *  D HH BNote:PursuanttoU.S.Vet.App.R.28(i),   	 F   @    qq  thisactionmaynotbecitedasprecedent.B B   	 ,   Л   	 F   B DCCD     OnAugust11,1997,counselfortheappellantadvisedthecourtthattheveteranhaddiedon   	 F   June30,1997.Counselfortheappellantfiledamotionfora60daystayofproceedingsinordertoallowtimeforapersonalrepresentativetobeappointed.CounselfortheSecretaryopposedthemotion.7 ,  , X X       d , X X       d 7 ќ LI=      X   X       d  X   X       d= ILM% =    M     TheCourtheldintheconsolidatedcasesofLandichov.BrownandOseov.Brownthat   	 t   substitutionofawidowintheformerandasoninthelatterisnotpermissibleinthisCourtwheretheappellantsareveteranswhodiewhilethedenialsbytheBoardofVeterans'Appeals(Board)ofϜtheirclaimsfordisabilitycompensationunderchapter11oftitle38,U.S.Code,arependinghereonappeal.Landicho,7Vet.App.42,44(1994);seeZevalkinkv.Brown,102F.3d1236,124344(Fed.   	 \   Cir.1996).TheCourtheldthat,because"veterans'claimsunderchapter11donotsurvivetheirdeaths,"theappropriateremedyistodenysubstitution,vacatetheBoarddecisionfromwhichtheappealwastaken,anddismisstheappeal.Landicho,7Vet.App.at47,54.Inthiscase,counsel   	    raisesthepossibilityoftheappointmentnotofawidoworason,butofa"personalrepresentative"oftheestateofthedeceasedveteran.     Althoughthequestionofa"personalrepresentative"makesthisaquestionoffirstimpressionforthisCourt(seeZevalkink,102F.3dat1239n.4),thedistinctionisonewithoutadifference.The   	 <#"   operativeeventisthedeathoftheveteranandtheconsequentextinguishingofhisclaims.See   	 "$r#   #   X  X  X8 X   # Landicho,7Vet.App.at55(Courtheldthat" 8  X  X  X X theseappealshavebecomemootbyvirtueofthedeaths   	 %X $   oftheoriginalveteranappellants").#   X  X  X8 X  #  8  X  X  X X Justastheappellant'sappealhasbecomemoot,sohastheissue   	 %>!%   ofsubstitution.     AsinLandicho,theappropriateactionforthisCourttotakeistovacatetheBoarddecision   	 (#(   anddismissthisappeal.AdecisionoftheCourtvacatingtheBoarddecisionhasthelegaleffectofnullifyingthepreviousmeritsadjudicationbytheregionaloffice(RO)becausethatdecisionwassubsumedbytheBoarddecision.SeeYomav.Brown,8Vet.App.298(1995)(relyingonRobinette   	 R+&+   Мv.Brown,8Vet.App.69,80(1995));seealsoHudginsv.Brown,8Vet.App.365,368(1995)(per   	 8,',   curiamorder)(accrued-benefitsclaimbysurvivorwillhavesamecharacterasclaimveteranwas    -n(-    pursuingattimeofdeath,andadjudicationofthataccruedbenefitsclaimnotaffectedbyBoardorROdecisionnullifiedbyCourt'sordervacatingBoarddecision).ThisisdonetoensurethattheBoarddecisionandtheunderlyingROdecision(s)willhavenopreclusiveeffectintheadjudicationofanyaccruedbenefitsclaimsderivedfromtheveteran'sentitlements.Id.Becausethisappealhas   	 b   becomemootbyvirtueofthedeathoftheveteranappellant,theappealwillbedismissed.See   	 H   Landicho,7Vet.App.at5354.   	 .	~        Onconsiderationoftheforegoing,itis̜         `	      ORDEREDthattheappellantsmotionforastayofproceedingsisdenied.Itisfurther̛     ORDEREDthattheFebruary21,1997,BoarddecisionisVACATED.Itisfurther          ORDEREDthatthisappealisDISMISSEDforlackofjurisdiction.DATED:    `	  ONSeptemberNONNOSeptemberONNP22,1997P Q    h     h     h QR% 9    R    h           PERCURIAM.   	 *z            `	               h               p ̜ GCopiesto:RobinC.Culbertson,Esq.NationalVeteransLegalServiceProgram2001SStreet,NW,Suite610Washington,DC20009GeneralCounsel(027)DepartmentofVeteransAffairs810VermontAvenue,NWWashington,DC20420G#   X  X  X8 X  #  GA% <    AG