§1113 — Title 38 Veterans' Benefits | U.S. Code

Summary

If there is clear proof that a new injury or illness happened after leaving service, or that the veteran caused the disability on purpose, then the presumption that the condition came from service does not apply and related compensation won’t be paid. However, these rules do not stop benefits when sound judgment shows a disease or disorder was caused or made worse by active military service.

Title 38, §1113

Veterans' Benefits — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Where there is affirmative evidence to the contrary, or evidence to establish that an intercurrent injury or disease which is a recognized cause of any of the diseases or disabilities within the purview of section 1112, 1116, 1117, 1118, or 1120 of this title, has been suffered between the date of separation from service and the onset of any such diseases or disabilities, or the disability is due to the veteran’s own willful misconduct, service-connection pursuant to section 1112, 1116, 1118, or 1120 of this title, or payments of compensation pursuant to section 1117 of this title, will not be in order.

(b)Nothing in section 1112, 1116, 1117, 1118, or 1120 of this title, subsection (a) of this section, or section 5 of Public Law 98–542 (38 U.S.C. 1154 note) shall be construed to prevent the granting of service-connection for any disease or disorder otherwise shown by sound judgment to have been incurred in or aggravated by active military, naval, air, or space service.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2022—Pub. L. 117–168 substituted “1118, or 1120” for “or 1118” wherever appearing. 2021—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “air, or space service” for “or air service”. 1998—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–277 substituted “1117, or 1118” for “or 1117” and “, 1116, or 1118” for “or 1116”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105–277, § 1602(b)(1), substituted “1117, or 1118” for “or 1117”. 1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–446, § 106(b), inserted “or disabilities” after “diseases” in two places, substituted “purview of section 1112, 1116, or 1117” for “purview of section 1112 or 1116”, and inserted “, or payments of compensation pursuant to section 1117 of this title,” before “will not”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–446, § 501(b)(1), substituted “title,” for “title or” and inserted “, or section 5 of Public Law 98–542 (38 U.S.C. 1154 note)” after “of this section”. Pub. L. 103–446, § 106(b)(1), substituted “section 1112, 1116, or 1117” for “section 1112 or 1116”. 1991—Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), renumbered section 313 of this title as this section. Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(c)(1), substituted “1112 or 1116” for “312 or 316” wherever appearing. Pub. L. 102–4 inserted “or 316” after “section 312” wherever appearing.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2022 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 117–168 effective Aug. 10, 2022, with additional provisions for different applicability dates applying to various categories of veterans and claimants for compensation, see section 406(d) of Pub. L. 117–168, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 1120 of this title.

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of 1994 Amendment Pub. L. 103–446, title V, § 501(b)(2), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4663, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by paragraph (1) [amending this section] shall apply with respect to applications for veterans benefits that are submitted to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs after the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 2, 1994].”

§1113 Presumptions rebuttable

Summary

Title 38, §1113

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

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Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Effective Date

Effective Date

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Citations & Metadata