330 ILCS 35/2: The widow or widower, child or children, mother, father, person standing in loco parentis, brothers and sisters, in the order named, of any deceased person shall be paid the compensation to which the deceased person would be entitled under Section 1 of this Act.

Where a preceding beneficiary fails to file a claim for compensation after the official notice of death the Department of Veterans Affairs may proceed to process applications from succeeding beneficiaries and such beneficiaries may then proceed to qualify upon submission of satisfactory proof of eligibility.