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Evidence depends on the claim type. VA describes separation records, service treatment records, medical evidence, and lay evidence. Lay evidence is written testimony from the veteran or someone with knowledge of the condition or events; no special training is required. It may be provided on blank paper, VA Form 21-10210, or VA Form 21-4138. For an original service-related claim, medical records or provider opinions commonly support the connection to service; requirements and presumptions vary.
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Plain-language guide: Evidence needed for your disability claim
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VA Form 21-10210 is the Lay/Witness Statement form for a formal statement supporting your claim or another veteran or eligible family member’s claim. It is also called a buddy statement. VA offers a downloadable form and an online submission tool; follow the current official instructions.
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Use VA Form 21-10210 to submit a formal statement to support your VA claim—or the claim of another Veteran or eligible family member. People also sometimes call this statement a “buddy statement.”
Link to this passage: VA Form 21-10210: Lay/Witness Statement, passage 1
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Plain-language guide: VA Form 21-10210: Lay/Witness Statement
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VA recognizes accredited VSO representatives, attorneys, and claims agents. Accredited VSO services on VA benefit claims are always free. Contact the representative to confirm availability and, for a VSO, which organization to name. VA explains appointment forms and signatures. Attorney and claims-agent fees have separate requirements.
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Plain-language guide: Find a VA-accredited representative
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A C&P exam gathers information for a claim decision; it is not a treatment visit and the examiner does not decide the claim. Call the appointment-letter number to confirm time and place and discuss needed accommodations. Submit new non-VA medical records before the appointment through the VA process or an accredited representative; bringing records does not let the examiner submit them. VA says to arrive 15 minutes early and wear comfortable clothes. Contact the scheduler promptly about a scheduling conflict; follow the current notice and official exam guidance.
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You’ll need to confirm your appointment. Call the number on the exam letter to confirm the place and time. If you get a phone call, you can confirm the place and time on the call.
Link to this passage: VA claim exam (C&P exam), passage 1
If you bring new records to your exam, your provider may review them. But your provider can’t submit your records for you.
Link to this passage: VA claim exam (C&P exam), passage 2
When you confirm your appointment, you can request help with transportation or other accommodations you need.
Link to this passage: VA claim exam (C&P exam), passage 3
You don’t need to bring anything to your exam. If you have any new non-VA medical records (like records from a recent surgery or illness), be sure to submit them before your appointment.
Link to this passage: VA claim exam (C&P exam), passage 4
A claim exam isn’t like a normal medical exam. The provider won’t treat you for any illness or injury, give you referrals to other providers, or prescribe medicine. That’s because the purpose of the exam is to gather information that will help us make a decision on your claim.
Link to this passage: VA claim exam (C&P exam), passage 5
Plan to arrive at your appointment 15 minutes early. If you’re late, your provider may cancel your exam.
Wear comfortable clothes so you can move freely during the exam.
Link to this passage: VA claim exam (C&P exam), passage 6
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Plain-language guide: VA claim exam (C&P exam)
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What a claim exam does
A claim exam gathers information to help VA decide a claim. It is not a treatment appointment: the provider does not treat illness or injury, refer you to other providers, or prescribe medicine during the exam.Read source passage 5: VA claim exam (C&P exam)
VA Form 21-4138 shares additional information when another VA form or process instructs you to use it, including claimed-disability details that do not fit on the original claim form. VA offers a downloadable PDF and online submission option. Check the current instructions; this website does not submit an official form.
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Plain-language guide: VA Form 21-4138: Statement in Support of Claim
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In the US, contact the Veterans Crisis Line by calling 988 and pressing 1, texting 838255, or using its official online chat. The service is available 24/7 and VA enrollment is not required. The official site lists separate overseas contact options.
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Plain-language guide: Veterans Crisis Line
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Verify a representative’s VA accreditation before choosing them. VA explains accredited VSO, attorney, and claims-agent roles and the free VSO service. Its FAQ describes attorney/agent fee requirements, appointment and cancellation, and complaint routes. Individual fee, representation, or deadline questions require current official guidance and qualified help.
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Plain-language guide: VA-accredited representative FAQs
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Request a DD214 and other military service records from the National Archives online, by mail, or by fax, using the current instructions. VA says it requests the DD214 when it receives a benefits application. The page distinguishes requests for your own records from someone else’s records.
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Plain-language guide: Request your military service records
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VA’s health checklist helps patients prepare questions and note health or life changes for a health care appointment.
Reference link only. No excerpt from this third-party-authored resource is included in the assistant’s evidence library.
Request VA medical records from your health facility’s medical records or Release of Information office. VA lists online secure messaging, mail, fax, and in-person options. Mail, fax, or in-person requests use VA Form 10-5345a; follow the current instructions. Military active-duty records and VBA compensation or benefits records use separate request processes.
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Plain-language guide: Get medical records from your VA health facility
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VA’s public DBQs collect medical information from health care providers. Ask the provider to complete and submit the appropriate form; clinician information, signature, and date are required. VA does not pay or reimburse the cost of completing or submitting a private DBQ. Some questionnaires, including Medical Opinion, are not public. A private DBQ does not cancel a scheduled VA exam; follow the notice.
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Plain-language guide: Public Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs)
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VA encourages private medical records for consideration with a benefits claim. Discuss the claimed conditions with your health care provider, obtain any required release, and submit records through the official process. Alternatively, VA describes paired Forms 21-4142 and 21-4142a for requesting private records. The page links to public DBQs and accredited claim assistance.
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If required, complete your healthcare provider’s release of information form, obtain your records, and submit with your claim
Link to this passage: Private medical evidence and DBQs, passage 1
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Plain-language guide: Private medical evidence and DBQs
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VA describes eight disability-claim stages: claim received, initial review, evidence gathering, evidence review, rating, preparing decision letter, final review, and claim decided. A claim may return to evidence gathering when more evidence is needed or submitted. Check the official status and any notice for your own claim; the page is not a guaranteed timeline or a description of every claim type.
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If we need more evidence or you submit more evidence, your claim will go back to Step 3: Evidence gathering.
Link to this passage: The VA claim process after you file your claim, passage 1
Claim received
Link to this passage: The VA claim process after you file your claim, passage 2
Initial review
Link to this passage: The VA claim process after you file your claim, passage 3
Evidence gathering
Link to this passage: The VA claim process after you file your claim, passage 4
Evidence review
Link to this passage: The VA claim process after you file your claim, passage 5
Rating
Link to this passage: The VA claim process after you file your claim, passage 6
Preparing decision letter
Link to this passage: The VA claim process after you file your claim, passage 7
Final review
Link to this passage: The VA claim process after you file your claim, passage 8
Claim decided
Link to this passage: The VA claim process after you file your claim, passage 9
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Plain-language guide: The VA claim process after you file your claim
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VA’s sign-in status tool covers certain claims, decision reviews, and appeals. It shows the review stage and available evidence details, and can download certain decision letters. Uploading evidence through this tool is for initial claims, not decision reviews or appeals. Documents sent by mail, fax, or in person, and privacy-restricted documents, may not be listed online. Missing online display alone does not establish that a record was lost.
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We won’t list these types of documents:
Documents you sent to us by mail or fax, or
Documents you brought to us in person, or
Documents we’ve restricted to protect your or someone else’s privacy
Link to this passage: Check your claim, decision review, or appeal status, passage 1
You can find out where your claim, decision review, or appeal is in our review process.
Link to this passage: Check your claim, decision review, or appeal status, passage 2
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Plain-language guide: Check your claim, decision review, or appeal status
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