38 USC § 1719 - Repair or replacement of certain prosthetic and other appliances

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t38/s1719"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "38 USC § 1719 - Repair or replacement of certain prosthetic and other appliances"
title_number: 38
title_name: "VETERANS’ BENEFITS"
section_number: "1719"
section_name: "Repair or replacement of certain prosthetic and other appliances"
chapter_number: 17
chapter_name: "HOSPITAL, NURSING HOME, DOMICILIARY, AND MEDICAL CARE"
subchapter_number: "II"
subchapter_name: "HOSPITAL, NURSING HOME, OR DOMICILIARY CARE AND MEDICAL TREATMENT"
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: "(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.)"
---


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

The Secretary may repair or replace any artificial limb, truss, brace, hearing aid, spectacles, or similar appliance (not including dental appliances) reasonably necessary to a veteran and belonging to such veteran which was damaged or destroyed by a fall or other accident caused by a service-connected disability for which such veteran is in receipt of, or but for the receipt of retirement pay would be entitled to, disability compensation.

---

**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.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1991—, renumbered  as this section.

, (2)(E), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator”.

1976— substituted “belonging to such veteran” for “belonging to him”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1976 Amendment

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

### Effective Date

> “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 [
> 
> ].”

, , , provided that: