38 C.F.R. §§ 10.1–10.4

If the veteran named in an adjusted service certificate issued pursuant to the provisions of section 501 of the World War Adjusted Compensation Act, without bad faith, has not received such certificate, or if prior to receipt by the veteran such certificate was destroyed wholly or in part or was so defaced as to impair its value, or, if after delivery it was partially destroyed or defaced so as to impair its value but can be identified to the satisfaction of the Secretary, a duplicate adjusted service certificate will be issued upon application and a bond of indemnity will not be required: Provided, That if the adjusted service certificate was destroyed in part or so defaced as to impair its value, the veteran or person entitled to payment thereon will be required to surrender to the Department of Veterans Affairs the original certificate or so much thereof as may remain.

The veteran named in an adjusted service certificate issued pursuant to the provisions of section 501 of the World War Adjusted Compensation Act, or the person entitled to payment thereon will be required to furnish evidence of the nonreceipt of the adjusted service certificate, or of its receipt in a mutilated or defaced condition, or of the loss or destruction in whole or in part of defacement of the certificate after its receipt, as the case may be. The evidence must be sufficient to establish to the satisfaction of the Secretary that neither the veteran nor the person entitled to payment thereon, or any person for or on their behalf, received the adjusted service certificate, or that at the time of its receipt it was mutilated or defaced to such an extent as to impair its value, or that after receipt of the certificate it was lost or destroyed in whole or in part or defaced, but without bad faith on the part of the veteran, and that every effort has been made to recover the lost certificate. Unless determination is otherwise made by the Secretary the evidence must be in the form of a written statement sworn to by the veteran or person entitled to payment thereon and witnessed by at least two persons who shall state, under oath that they personally know the affiant, that they have read his or her statement and that it is true to the best of their knowledge and belief. These statements should be supplemented by affidavits of any persons having personal knowledge of additional facts and circumstances concerning the matter, and the Secretary may require any additional evidence deemed necessary.

An indemnity bond will be required as a prerequisite to the issuance of a duplicate adjusted service certificate in all cases where the certificate was lost after receipt by the veteran, or after receipt by the veteran was defaced or mutilated and cannot be identified to the satisfaction of the Secretary, provided the loss, defacement, or mutilation was without bad faith on the part of the veteran or the person entitled to payment thereon. The bond must be in the manner and form prescribed by the Department of Veterans Affairs and for an amount equal to the face value of the certificate, with surety or sureties residents of the United States and satisfactory to the Secretary, with condition to indemnify and save harmless the United States from any claim on account of such certificate. If the certificate was defaced or mutilated the veteran or person entitled to payment thereon will be required to surrender to the Department of Veterans Affairs the certificate or so much thereof as may remain.

A new adjusted service certificate will be issued without bond in lieu of the certificate which has been lost or destroyed, or has been mutilated, defaced or damaged so as to impair its value, while in possession of the Department of Veterans Affairs.