### **CHAPTER 51—CLAIMS, EFFECTIVE DATES, AND PAYMENTS**

#### SUBCHAPTER I—CLAIMS

Sec.
5100.
Definitions.
5101.
Claims and forms.
5102.
Application forms furnished upon request; notice to claimants of incomplete applications.
5103.
Notice to claimants of required information and evidence.
5103A.
Duty to assist claimants.
5104.
Decisions and notices of decisions.
5104A.
Binding nature of favorable findings.
5104B.
Higher-level review by the agency of original jurisdiction.
5104C.
Options following decision by agency of original jurisdiction.
5105.
Joint applications for social security and dependency and indemnity compensation.
5106.
Furnishing of information by other agencies.
5107.
Claimant responsibility; benefit of the doubt.
5108.
Supplemental claims.
5109.
Independent medical opinions.
5109A.
Revision of decisions on grounds of clear and unmistakable error.
5109B.
Expedited treatment of returned and remanded claims.

#### SUBCHAPTER II—EFFECTIVE DATES

5110.
Effective dates of awards.
5111.
Commencement of period of payment.
5112.
Effective dates of reductions and discontinuances.
5113.
Effective dates of educational benefits.

#### SUBCHAPTER III—PAYMENT OF BENEFITS

5120.
Payment of benefits; delivery.
5121.
Payment of certain accrued benefits upon death of a beneficiary.
5121A.
Substitution in case of death of claimant.
5122.
Cancellation of checks mailed to deceased payees.
5123.
Rounding down of pension rates.
5124.
Acceptance of claimant's statement as proof of relationship.
5125.
Acceptance of reports of private physician examinations.
5126.
Benefits not to be denied based on lack of mailing address.

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### Amendments

**2022**—Pub. L. 117–168, §1(b)(2), title VIII, §807(a)(1), Aug. 10, 2022, 136 Stat. 1759, 1805, added item 5100 and struck out former item 5100 "Definition of 'claimant' ".

**2017**—Pub. L. 115–55, §2(f)(2), (g)(2), (h)(2), (i)(3), (k)(2), Aug. 23, 2017, 131 Stat. 1107–1109, added items 5104A to 5104C and substituted "Supplemental claims" for "Reopening disallowed claims" in item 5108 and "Expedited treatment of returned and remanded claims" for "Expedited treatment of remanded claims" in item 5109B.

**2008**—Pub. L. 110–389, title II, §212(b), Oct. 10, 2008, 122 Stat. 4151, added item 5121A.

Pub. L. 110–387, title IX, §901(a)(5), Oct. 10, 2008, 122 Stat. 4142, substituted "death of a beneficiary" for "death of beneficiary" in item 5121.

**2003**—Pub. L. 108–183, title VII, §707(a)(2), Dec. 16, 2003, 117 Stat. 2673, added item 5109B.

**2000**—Pub. L. 106–475, §6, Nov. 9, 2000, 114 Stat. 2099, added items 5100, 5102 to 5103A, 5107, and 5126, and struck out former items 5102 "Application forms furnished upon request", 5103 "Incomplete applications", and 5107 "Burden of proof; benefit of the doubt".

Pub. L. 106–398, §1 [[div. A], title XVI, §1611(b)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–360, directed amendment of table of sections by striking the item relating to section 5017 and inserting item 5107 "Assistance to claimants; benefit of the doubt; burden of proof". Pub. L. 106–419, title I, §104(c)(2), Nov. 1, 2000, 114 Stat. 1828, provided that, as of the enactment of Pub. L. 106–419, the amendments made by Pub. L. 106–398, §1 [[div. A], title XVI, §1611(b)], were deemed for all purposes not to have taken effect and that Pub. L. 106–398, §1 [[div. A], title XVI, §1611(b)], ceased to be in effect.

**1997**—Pub. L. 105–111, §1(a)(2), Nov. 21, 1997, 111 Stat. 2271, added item 5109A.

**1994**—Pub. L. 103–446, title III, §301(c), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4658, added items 5124 and 5125.

**1991**—Pub. L. 102–40, title IV, §402(c)(1), May 7, 1991, 105 Stat. 239, renumbered items 3001 to 3023 as 5101 to 5123, respectively.

**1989**—Pub. L. 101–237, title I, §115(a)(2), Dec. 18, 1989, 103 Stat. 2066, added item 3004.

**1988**—Pub. L. 100–687, div. A, title I, §103(a)(2), (c)(2), (3), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4107, 4108, substituted "CLAIMS" for "APPLICATIONS" in heading for chapter and in item for subchapter I and added items 3007, 3008, and 3009.

**1982**—Pub. L. 97–253, title IV, §§401(a)(2), 403(a)(2), Sept. 8, 1982, 96 Stat. 802, added items 3011 and 3023, respectively.

**1977**—Pub. L. 95–117, title IV, §402(b)(2), Oct. 3, 1977, 91 Stat. 1066, struck out "by check" after "benefit" in item 3020.

**1976**—Pub. L. 94–432, title IV, §403(1), Sept. 30, 1976, 90 Stat. 1372, added item 3006.

**1962**—Pub. L. 87–825, §5(b), Oct. 15, 1962, 76 Stat. 950, struck out items 3004 and 3011.