Over 45% of VA claim denials contain VA processing errors — not veteran errors. These 50 educational strategies show veterans how to build stronger claims. Get the full guide free.
The VA won't chase down your records. They won't find the nexus letter you never got. They won't volunteer the secondary conditions your service caused. That's your job — and these tips show you exactly how to do it.
A nexus letter is a written medical opinion addressing whether a current condition is related to military service. VA weighs it alongside the rest of the record. Medical opinions generally carry more weight when the clinician has reviewed the relevant records and explains the reasoning behind the conclusion.
Specific, dated descriptions give VA more to evaluate than general statements. A note recording what a veteran could not do on a particular date, and who observed it, is more concrete than a broad description of pain. Lay statements from witnesses are one form of evidence VA considers.
Veterans can request their own records through FOIA, eVetRecs, and BIRLS, including service treatment records, personnel files, and deployment records. VA reviews the evidence of record when deciding a claim, so knowing what a file contains is useful. Record requests can take several months.
Lay statements from people who witnessed events in service are submitted on VA Form 21-10210. The person who witnessed the events writes and signs the statement in their own words. Statements that describe specific dates, locations, and observations give VA more to evaluate than general ones.
Veterans sometimes pursue service connection for a condition in relation to an already service-connected condition or its treatment. Secondary service connection is not automatic. The evidence must support causation or aggravation in the individual case, and each condition is rated under its own criteria in 38 CFR Part 4.
38 CFR Part 4 sets out the criteria for each rating level of each diagnostic code. Reading the criteria for a condition shows what findings, measurements, or test results each level requires. Veterans who believe their current rating does not reflect their condition can pursue a decision review.
A symptom journal is a form of lay evidence. Veterans can bring a copy to a C&P examination and provide it to the examiner. Evidence submitted becomes part of the record VA reviews when deciding the claim.
7 sections covering evidence, secondary conditions, rating optimization, C&P exam strategy, appeals, common mistakes, and special programs most veterans never claim.
Monte is a retired CPA and Certified Fraud Examiner who writes about VA claims data and the rules that govern the claims process. He has seen firsthand how VA processing errors, missing nexus evidence, and overlooked secondary conditions cost veterans thousands per month in benefits they earned and deserve.
He provides educational analysis and forensic insights to help veterans understand the VA system — not official VA representation. He always recommends a free accredited VSO for official claims help.
Get the full 50-tip guide free — and share it with a vet who needs it. Questions about the material? Connect with Monte. Always start with a free accredited VSO for official claims help.