38 USC 1134: Compensation Rates for Peacetime Disabilities

Claim Raven explanation

What this means

This statute applies the compensation rates in section 1114 to disabilities compensated under the peacetime entitlement statute. It connects the peacetime framework to the same statutory rate structure.

It does not create a lower payment schedule simply because qualifying service occurred during peacetime. The actual amount still depends on the rating, any applicable special compensation, and later rate adjustments.

How this helps your claim

If a payment question is framed around wartime versus peacetime service, check this cross-reference. Use VA's rate table for the relevant year rather than the historical base dollar amounts in the Code.

What to check in your records

Use your decision, examination reports, and relevant records to check the following points.

• Confirm the awarded disability rating and compensation basis.
• Check any special monthly compensation included in the award.
• Compare payments with the official VA rate table for the applicable year.

Use the shared rate structure with the actual award facts

This provision links peacetime compensation to the rate framework in section 1114. It is a statutory connection between entitlement and rates, not a separate set of lower percentages. The disability evaluation and any SMC category still need their own supporting findings.

For a payment check, identify the rating period and applicable current or historical VA rate table. A base figure in the statute and an adjusted payable amount serve different purposes. Dependency or other payment circumstances should also be checked where relevant.

Are peacetime veterans automatically paid less at the same qualifying evaluation?

This section applies the referenced compensation-rate structure rather than creating a lower peacetime schedule. The actual amount still depends on the award's facts and applicable adjustments. Compare equivalent evaluations, periods and circumstances instead of attributing any payment difference to peacetime service alone.

Official statutory text

38 USC § 1134

OLRC release through Public Law 119-102 (July 12, 2026). Layout and spacing are adapted for reading. The statutory text is shown here; publisher source credits and editorial notes remain in the linked official release.

Related references

• 38 USC § 1131: Peacetime disability compensation eligibility
• 38 USC § 1114: Disability Compensation and SMC in Federal Law
• 38 USC § 5107: Benefit of the doubt in VA claims
• 38 CFR § 3.159: VA duty to assist: records and examinations

Browse the M21 manual library

Ready to review your own document? Start your free claim review.