38 USC § 1141 - Basic entitlement

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t38/s1141"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "38 USC § 1141 - Basic entitlement"
title_number: 38
title_name: "VETERANS’ BENEFITS"
section_number: "1141"
section_name: "Basic entitlement"
chapter_number: 11
chapter_name: "COMPENSATION FOR SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY OR DEATH"
subchapter_number: "V"
subchapter_name: "PEACETIME DEATH COMPENSATION"
part_number: "II"
part_name: "GENERAL BENEFITS"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1123, § 341; Pub. L. 92–197, § 6, Dec. 15, 1971, 85 Stat. 662; Pub. L. 94–433, title IV, § 404(18), Sept. 30, 1976, 90 Stat. 1379; renumbered § 1141, Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 406; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 926(a)(14), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3830.)"
---


# § 1141. Basic entitlement

January 1, 1957

The surviving spouse, child or children, and dependent parent or parents of any veteran who died before , as the result of injury or disease incurred in or aggravated by active military, naval, air, or space service, in line of duty, during other than a period of war, shall be entitled to receive compensation as hereinafter provided in this subchapter.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1123, § 341; Pub. L. 92–197, § 6, Dec. 15, 1971, 85 Stat. 662; Pub. L. 94–433, title IV, § 404(18), Sept. 30, 1976, 90 Stat. 1379; renumbered § 1141, Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 406; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 926(a)(14), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3830.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2021— substituted “air, or space service” for “or air service”.

1991— renumbered  as this section.

1976— substituted “spouse” for “widow”.

1971— struck out eligibility clause when the veteran died after , under circumstances described in .

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1976 Amendment

Amendment by  effective , see , set out as a note under .

### Effective Date of 1971 Amendment

Amendment by  effective , see , set out as a note under .