---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 1158"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "1158"
heading: "Disappearance"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/1158"
units:
  - "Part II — General Benefits"
  - "Chapter 11 — Compensation for Service-Connected Disability or Death"
  - "Subchapter VI — General Compensation Provisions"
---

# §1158. Disappearance


Where a [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) receiving [compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=13) under this chapter disappears, the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) may pay the [compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=13) otherwise payable to the [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) to such [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1)’s [spouse](/usc/38/101.md?p=31), children, and [parents](/usc/38/101.md?p=5). Payments made to such [spouse](/usc/38/101.md?p=31), [child](/usc/38/1831.md?p=1), or [parent](/usc/38/101.md?p=5) under the preceding sentence shall not exceed the amounts payable to each if the [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) had died from [service-connected](/usc/38/101.md?p=16) [disability](/usc/38/1701.md?p=1).


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1125, § 358; Pub. L. 86–212, Sept. 1, 1959, 73 Stat. 436; Pub. L. 94–433, title IV, § 404(21), Sept. 30, 1976, 90 Stat. 1379; renumbered § 1158 and amended Pub. L. 102–83, §§ 4(b)(1), (2)(E), 5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 404–406.)

## Notes

### 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 Amendment

Amendment 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.