PREC 1-2004    Effect of Pelegrini v. Principi concerning Content of Notice provided to Claimants under 38 U.S.C. § 5103(a) and 38 C.F.R. § 3.159(b)     Citation: Vet. Aff. Op. Gen Couns. Prec. 1-2004, VAOPGCPREC 1-2004, 2004

QUESTION PRESENTED:

Does the decision of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) in Pelegrini v. Principi, No. 01‑944, 2004 U.S. App. Vet. Claims LEXIS 11 (Jan. 13, 2004), require that notice provided under 38 U.S.C. § 5103(a) contain a request that the claimant provide the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with any evidence in his or her possession that pertains to the claim?

HELD:

Under 38 U.S.C. § 5103(a) and 38 C.F.R. § 3.159(b)(1), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), upon receipt of a complete or substantially complete application, must notify the claimant of the information and evidence necessary to substantiate the claim for benefits and must indicate which portion of that information and evidence the claimant must provide and which portion VA will attempt to obtain for the claimant.  In Pelegrini v. Principi, No. 01‑944, 2004 U.S. App. Vet. Claims LEXIS 11 (Jan. 13, 2004), the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) stated that section 3.159(b)(1), explicitly, and section 5103(a), implicitly, require that VA request that the claimant provide any evidence in his or her possession that pertains to the claim.  The CAVC’s statement that sections 5103(a) and 3.159(b)(1) require VA to include such a request as part of the notice provided to a claimant under those provisions is obiter dictum and is not binding on VA.  Further, section 5103(a) does not require VA to seek evidence from a claimant other than that identified by VA as necessary to substantiate the claim.