Title 38, Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-102
§1111 Presumption of Sound Condition
Title 38 › PART II — GENERAL BENEFITS › CHAPTER 11 — COMPENSATION FOR SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY OR DEATH › SUBCHAPTER II — WARTIME DISABILITY COMPENSATION › § 1111
Summary
For certain veterans' disability claims, veterans are assumed to have been healthy when they joined service unless problems were recorded at that time or clear proof shows the condition existed before joining and was not worsened by service.
Full Legal Text
Title 38, §1111
Veterans' Benefits, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
For the purposes of section 1110 of this title, every veteran shall be taken to have been in sound condition when examined, accepted, and enrolled for service, except as to defects, infirmities, or disorders noted at the time of the examination, acceptance, and enrollment, or where clear and unmistakable evidence demonstrates that the injury or disease existed before acceptance and enrollment and was not aggravated by such service.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1991—Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), renumbered section 311 of this title as this section. Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(c)(1), substituted “1110” for “310”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
38 U.S.C. § 1111
Title 38, Veterans' Benefits
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102