A Disability Benefits Questionnaire, or DBQ, collects medical information for a disability claim. VA’s public DBQ page provides forms and instructions for a health care provider to complete. Our planner helps you prepare for that conversation; it is not a DBQ and does not fill clinical answers.
Start with the current official form
Use the public VA list rather than a copied form from an unrelated website. Some questionnaires are not available for public use, including the Medical Opinion DBQ. If you are unsure which form applies, ask the clinician or an accredited representative. A questionnaire and a medical nexus opinion serve different purposes; completing one does not automatically establish the other.
What to ask before booking
- Can this clinician evaluate the concern and complete the relevant questionnaire?
- What records or appointment preparation does the office need?
- Is a particular examination or testing required?
- What is the fee, and how will you receive the completed document?
- How can you share records securely and request a factual correction?
VA says it does not pay or reimburse the cost of a private provider completing a DBQ. Its claim exam guidance explains the distinction between private questionnaires and a VA-arranged C&P exam. Follow any examination notice you receive; do not assume private paperwork replaces a scheduled VA exam.
Bring observations, not rehearsed answers
Write down actual examples of daily effects, when they occur, how long they last, and how they vary. Mark what you cannot recall. Your recollection belongs in patient notes; clinical measurements and professional findings belong to the clinician. Do not change medication or treatment for an appointment without clinical advice.
A useful records index contains a document title, approximate date, and where the original is held. The free DBQ appointment planner includes that index, appointment questions, observations, and uncertainties. It accepts text notes only and makes no AI request.
A C&P exam is a separate appointment
VA describes a C&P exam as information gathering for a claim decision, not treatment. Use the details in your actual appointment notice and confirm logistics with the scheduler. Our C&P appointment planner can help keep those practical questions together.
Review and keep your copies
After a private appointment, keep the clinician’s completed form separate from your preparation notes. Ask the office about corrections and follow current VA submission instructions or accredited guidance. This website does not submit a questionnaire or predict a rating.
Build your free DBQ appointment plan, or start a saved DBQ planning project for reviewed PDF, Word, and text downloads. For questions about a medical connection, use the nexus letter preparation guide.
Sources & further reading
- Public Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs)
- Private medical evidence and DBQs
- VA claim exam (C&P exam)
- Find a VA-accredited representative
Check the linked official sources for current requirements. This guide is educational and does not determine eligibility.