Title 38, Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-102
§1153 Aggravation
Title 38 › PART II — GENERAL BENEFITS › CHAPTER 11 — COMPENSATION FOR SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY OR DEATH › SUBCHAPTER VI — GENERAL COMPENSATION PROVISIONS › § 1153
Summary
Preexisting injuries or illnesses worsened during active duty are treated as caused by that service unless shown to be natural progression.
Full Legal Text
Title 38, §1153
Veterans' Benefits, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
A preexisting injury or disease will be considered to have been aggravated by active military, naval, air, or space service, where there is an increase in disability during such service, unless there is a specific finding that the increase in disability is due to the natural progress of the disease.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2021—Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “air, or space service” for “or air service”. 1991—Pub. L. 102–83 renumbered section 353 of this title as this section.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
38 U.S.C. § 1153
Title 38, Veterans' Benefits
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102