---
type: "LegalText"
title: "42 U.S.C. § 1716"
description: "Presumption of death or detention"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 42
title_name: "THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE"
chapter_number: "12"
chapter_name: "COMPENSATION FOR INJURY, DEATH, OR DETENTION OF EMPLOYEES OF CONTRACTORS WITH UNITED STATES OUTSIDE UNITED STATES"
section: "1716"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 1716"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc42@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t42/s1716"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-42/usc42.xml"
source_hash: "8ee2df29255c6a4e4412653b5e330b7e1663a3a16aca33e44a9d7ea6bd0e3604"
raw_snapshot_hash: "644321055a08eb1f260a6a3e31ac157fa024756abf612a9fd6857e7e400cf24e"
text_hash: "92ca2a3d393c35e34d2759df37efa0ffaea960510c01d422c6d27bc6caede1ca"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 42 U.S.C. § 1716 - Presumption of death or detention

## Text

A determination that an individual is dead or a determination that he has been detained by a hostile force or person may be made on the basis of evidence that he has disappeared under circumstances such as to make such death or detention appear probable.

(Dec. 2, 1942, ch. 668, title II, § 206, 56 Stat. 1034; Pub. L. 85–608, title I, § 104, Aug. 8, 1958, 72 Stat. 537.)

## Notes

Editorial Notes

Amendments1958—Pub. L. 85–608 substituted “a hostile force or person” for “the enemy”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1958 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 85–608 effective June 30, 1958, see section 402 of Pub. L. 85–608, set out as a note under section 1651 of this title.