§12.9. Rights of designate; sales instruction; transportation charges. — Inbound Citations

(d) Sections 1.600 through 1.603 are not intended to, and do not:

(1) Waive the sovereign immunity of the United States;

(2) Create, and may not be relied upon to create, any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law against the United States or VA; or

(b) as used in §§ 12.1 to 12.13 includes hospitals, centers, domiciliary activities, supply depots, and other offices over which the Department of Veterans Affairs has direct and exclusive administrative jurisdiction, and excludes State, county, city, private, and contract hospitals and hospitals or other institutions operated by the United States through agencies other than the Department of Veterans Affairs. At institutions other than field facilities as herein defined funds or effects as defined in paragraph (a) of this section, except for funds derived from VA benefits and deposited by the Department of Veterans Affairs in the account Personal Funds of Patients for incompetent veterans, will be disposed of under the laws governing such institutions. In any case where the veteran died intestate without heirs or next of kin his or her personal property vests in the United States. Disposition of the property will be made in accordance with the provisions of §§ 12.19 to 12.23.

If it is shown that some person other than the veteran has title to property in a veteran's possession at the time of death, nothing contained in §§ 12.0 to 12.12 shall be construed as prohibiting delivery of such property to the owner. A life insurance policy may be delivered to the beneficiary therein named if the insured is deceased, notwithstanding the veteran has designated a person to whom possession of his or her property at the field facility is to be transferred. In no case will funds or effects be delivered to a minor, or to an incompetent person other than as provided in § 12.9 (a) and (c), but where any such person is entitled to title or possession delivery may be made to his or her guardian.

(d) Where disposition of the funds and effects cannot be accomplished under the provisions of paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, the funds, at the expiration of 90 days will be deposited to the General Post Fund and the effects will be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of §§ 12.8, 12.9, and 12.10.

(a) If there exists no designee at the time of death at a hospital, domiciliary, or regional office of a veteran admitted as competent, or the designee fails or refuses to claim the funds and effects as defined in § 12.0(a) within 90 days following the mailing of notice to such designee, the facility head will take appropriate action to dispose of the effects to the person or persons legally entitled thereto, i.e., the executor or administrator of the decedent, or, if no notice of such an appointment has been received, to the decedent's widow, child, grandchild, mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, brother, or sister, in the order named. Subject to the applicable provisions of §§ 12.3 and 12.4, such delivery may be made at any time before the sale contemplated by § 12.9 to the designee or other person entitled under the facts of the case. Delivery will be made to the person entitled to priority as prescribed in this paragraph, unless such person waives right to possession, in which event delivery will be to the person, if any, in whose favor such prior entitled person waives right to possession. If the waiver is not in favor of a particular person or class, delivery will be to the person or persons next in order of priority under this paragraph. If in any case there be more than one person in the class entitled to priority, initially or by reason of waiver, delivery will be made only to their joint designated agent (who may, but need not, be one of the class), or to one of such class in his or her own behalf upon written waiver of all others of the class entitled thereto. The guardian of a minor or incompetent may waive his or her ward's prior right to possession.

(d) Any such property which is not destroyed or used as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section shall be sold in the manner provided in §§ 12.9 and 12.10, after notice as therein provided unless, prior to sale, claim be made for any such property by someone legally entitled thereto.

If it is shown that some person other than the veteran has title to property in a veteran's possession at the time of death, nothing contained in §§ 12.0 to 12.12 shall be construed as prohibiting delivery of such property to the owner. A life insurance policy may be delivered to the beneficiary therein named if the insured is deceased, notwithstanding the veteran has designated a person to whom possession of his or her property at the field facility is to be transferred. In no case will funds or effects be delivered to a minor, or to an incompetent person other than as provided in § 12.9 (a) and (c), but where any such person is entitled to title or possession delivery may be made to his or her guardian.

(a) Upon authorization by the facility head or his or her designated representative, all funds, as defined in § 12.0 (except funds deposited by VA in Personal Funds of Patients that were derived from VA benefits where the veteran was incompetent at time of death), and effects will be delivered or sent to the designee of the deceased veteran if request therefor be made after death and within 90 days following the mailing of notice to such designee (see § 12.9(a)), unless:

(1) The executor or administrator of the estate of the deceased veteran shall have notified the facility head or his or her designated representative of his or her desire and readiness to receive such funds or effects, in which event the facility head or his or her designated representative will authorize delivery of all funds and effects to such executor or administrator upon receipt of appropriate documentary evidence of his or her qualifications and in exchange for appropriate receipts, or

(2) An heir capable of inheriting the personal property of the veteran makes claim for the funds and effects prior to delivery to the designee.

(3) Subsequent to the naming of a designee the veteran became incompetent and his or her guardian revoked such designation, in which event the facility head or his or her designated representative will deliver all funds and effects to his guardian in exchange for appropriate receipts subject to the limitation contained in paragraph (d) of this section, or

(4) Designee was the wife (or husband) of the veteran at the time of designation, and information at the disposal of the field facility indicates that she (or he) was thereafter divorced and the veteran was incompetent at or subsequent to the time of divorce, or

(5) Notwithstanding there is a designee, it is probable that title would pass to the United States under the provisions of §§ 12.19 to 12.23 issued pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 5502(e) and 38 U.S.C. 8520(a), or

(6) The facility head or his or her designated representative determines that there is reasonable ground to believe that the transfer of such possession to the designee probably would be contrary to the interests of the person legally entitled to the personal property, or there are any other special circumstances raising a serious doubt as to the propriety of such delivery to the designee.

If it is shown that some person other than the veteran has title to property in a veteran's possession at the time of death, nothing contained in §§ 12.0 to 12.12 shall be construed as prohibiting delivery of such property to the owner. A life insurance policy may be delivered to the beneficiary therein named if the insured is deceased, notwithstanding the veteran has designated a person to whom possession of his or her property at the field facility is to be transferred. In no case will funds or effects be delivered to a minor, or to an incompetent person other than as provided in § 12.9 (a) and (c), but where any such person is entitled to title or possession delivery may be made to his or her guardian.