---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 1719"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "1719"
heading: "Repair or replacement of certain prosthetic and other appliances"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/1719"
units:
  - "Part II — General Benefits"
  - "Chapter 17 — Hospital, Nursing Home, Domiciliary, and Medical Care"
  - "Subchapter II — Hospital, Nursing Home, or Domiciliary Care and Medical Treatment"
---

# §1719. Repair or replacement of certain prosthetic and other appliances


The [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) may repair or replace any artificial limb, truss, brace, hearing aid, spectacles, or similar appliance (not including dental appliances) reasonably necessary to a [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) and belonging to such [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) which was damaged or destroyed by a fall or other accident caused by a [service-connected](/usc/38/101.md?p=16) [disability](/usc/38/1701.md?p=1) for which such [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) is in receipt of, or but for the receipt of retirement pay would be entitled to, [disability](/usc/38/1701.md?p=1) [compensation](/usc/38/101.md?p=13).


## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 87–850, § 1(a), Oct. 23, 1962, 76 Stat. 1126, § 619; amended Pub. L. 94–581, title II, § 210(a)(6), Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2862; renumbered § 1719 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 619 of this title as this section.

Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(b)(1), (2)(E), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator”.

1976—Pub. L. 94–581 substituted “belonging to such veteran” for “belonging to him”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1976 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 94–581 effective Oct. 21, 1976, see section 211 of Pub. L. 94–581, set out as a note under section 111 of this title.

### Effective Date

Pub. L. 87–850, § 2, Oct. 23, 1962, 76 Stat. 1126, provided that: “The amendment made by this Act [enacting this section] shall apply only with respect to the repair or replacement of artificial limbs, trusses, braces, hearing aids, spectacles, and similar devices damaged or destroyed after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 23, 1962].”