38 USC § 1153 - Aggravation

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t38/s1153"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "38 USC § 1153 - Aggravation"
title_number: 38
title_name: "VETERANS’ BENEFITS"
section_number: "1153"
section_name: "Aggravation"
chapter_number: 11
chapter_name: "COMPENSATION FOR SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY OR DEATH"
subchapter_number: "VI"
subchapter_name: "GENERAL COMPENSATION PROVISIONS"
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. 1124, § 353; renumbered § 1153, Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 406; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 926(a)(15), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3830.)"
---


# § 1153. Aggravation

A preexisting injury or disease will be considered to have been aggravated by active military, naval, air, or space service, where there is an increase in disability during such service, unless there is a specific finding that the increase in disability is due to the natural progress of the disease.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1124, § 353; renumbered § 1153, Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 406; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 926(a)(15), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3830.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

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

1991— renumbered  as this section.