38 U.S.C. § 1310: Deaths entitling survivors to dependency and indemnity compensation

(a) When any veteran dies after December 31, 1956, from a service-connected or compensable disability, the Secretary shall pay dependency and indemnity compensation to such veteran’s surviving spouse, children, and parents. The standards and criteria for determining whether or not a disability is service-connected shall be those applicable under chapter 11 of this title. (b) Dependency and indemnity compensation shall not be paid to the surviving spouse, children, or parents of any veteran dying after December 31, 1956, unless such veteran (1) was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable from the period of active military, naval, air, or space service in which the disability causing such veteran’s death was incurred or aggravated, or (2) died while in the active military, naval, air, or space service. (c) A person who receives a payment under the provisions of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 2210 note) shall not be deprived, by reason of the receipt of that payment, of receipt of dependency and indemnity compensation to which that person is otherwise entitled, but there shall be deducted from payment of such dependency and indemnity compensation the amount of the payment under that Act.