Title 38, Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-102
§1158 Disappearance
Title 38 › PART II — GENERAL BENEFITS › CHAPTER 11 — COMPENSATION FOR SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY OR DEATH › SUBCHAPTER VI — GENERAL COMPENSATION PROVISIONS › § 1158
Summary
If a veteran who gets benefits goes missing, the Secretary may pay those benefits to the veteran’s spouse, children, or parents, capped at the amounts for a service-related death.
Full Legal Text
Title 38, §1158
Veterans' Benefits, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Where a veteran receiving compensation under this chapter disappears, the Secretary may pay the compensation otherwise payable to the veteran to such veteran’s spouse, children, and parents. Payments made to such spouse, child, or parent under the preceding sentence shall not exceed the amounts payable to each if the veteran had died from service-connected disability.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1991—Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), renumbered section 358 of this title as this section. Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(b)(1), (2)(E), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator”. 1976—Pub. L. 94–433 struck out “, in his discretion,” after “Administrator” and substituted “such veteran’s spouse” for “his wife” and “such spouse” for “a wife”. 1959—Pub. L. 86–212 substituted “a veteran” for “an incompetent veteran”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 1976 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 94–433 effective Oct. 1, 1976, see section 406 of Pub. L. 94–433, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
38 U.S.C. § 1158
Title 38, Veterans' Benefits
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102