Your VA claim exam: what to expect
If you have filed a disability compensation claim, the Department of Veterans Affairs may ask you to attend a claim exam, often called a compensation and pension (C&P) exam. This guide answers the questions Veterans ask most about it.
Before your exam
What is a VA claim exam?
After you file a disability compensation claim, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may ask you to have a claim exam, also known as a compensation and pension (C&P) exam. The exam helps VA decide whether you have a service-connected disability and, if you do, how to rate it. Your rating reflects how severe your disability is, and it affects how much disability compensation you receive.
Source: VA.gov, VA claim exam (C&P exam) (opens in a new tab)
Does everyone who files a claim need an exam?
No. VA asks for a claim exam only when it needs more information to decide your claim. If your file already has enough medical evidence, VA may review your records instead, through what it calls the Acceptable Clinical Evidence process, and ask you for more evidence if it needs it.
Source: VA.gov, VA claim exam (C&P exam) (opens in a new tab)
Will I need more than one exam?
You might. If you claim more than one condition, you may need more than one exam, and VA tries to schedule them on the same day. Some conditions need follow-up exams, called review exams, to see whether the condition has changed. And if you request a decision review, VA may ask you to have another exam.
Source: VA.gov, VA claim exam (C&P exam) (opens in a new tab)
How will I be contacted to schedule my exam?
Your local VA medical center or a VA contractor will mail you a letter with the date and time of your exam, and you may also get a phone call or email. You can't start the scheduling process yourself; VA starts it by contacting you. Keep your address, phone number, and email current in your VA.gov profile so the letter reaches you.
Source: VA.gov, VA claim exam (C&P exam) (opens in a new tab)
What should I do when I get my exam letter or call?
Confirm your appointment by calling the number on the letter, or confirm on the call itself. When you confirm, you can ask for help with transportation or other accommodations. You can also request a male or female provider for a reproductive health, breast, rectal, or mental health exam, or if your claim relates to military sexual trauma.
Source: VA.gov, VA claim exam (C&P exam) (opens in a new tab)
What if I need to reschedule?
Tell the VA medical center or contractor at least 48 hours in advance by calling the number on your appointment letter, or call VA at 800-827-1000 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern time. Rescheduling may delay your claim.
Source: VA.gov, VA claim exam (C&P exam) (opens in a new tab)
Where will my exam take place?
Some exams happen by phone or video from your home. In-person exams take place at your local VA medical center or a contractor location. Contractors try to schedule within 50 miles of your home, or within 100 miles if you need a specialist for a dental, eye, hearing, or mental health exam, and VA asks your permission before scheduling anything farther away.
Source: VA.gov, VA claim exam (C&P exam) (opens in a new tab)
Will VA pay for my travel?
Yes. VA reimburses travel to and from a claim exam at a VA medical center through VA travel pay (opens in a new tab). If your exam is with a contractor, the contractor reimburses you; if you haven't been paid within 14 days of your appointment, call the contractor. If you are still serving on active duty, or you live outside the U.S. and its territories, you aren't eligible for travel reimbursement.
Source: VA.gov, VA claim exam (C&P exam) (opens in a new tab)
What should I bring?
You don't need to bring anything. If you have new non-VA medical records, such as records from a recent surgery or illness, submit them before your appointment: upload them with the claim status tool (opens in a new tab), send them through your accredited representative, or mail them to your nearest VA regional office. If you bring records to the exam, the provider may review them but can't submit them for you.
Source: VA.gov, VA claim exam (C&P exam) (opens in a new tab)
How should I prepare?
Plan to arrive 15 minutes early, because a provider may cancel your exam if you're late. Wear comfortable clothes so you can move freely. VA also publishes a claim exam video series (opens in a new tab) on how to prepare.
Source: VA.gov, VA claim exam (C&P exam) (opens in a new tab)
At your exam
What happens at a claim exam?
A claim exam isn't like a normal medical appointment. The provider won't treat you, refer you to other providers, or prescribe medicine, because the exam's purpose is to gather information for your claim. The provider may do a basic physical exam, ask questions based on your records (including questions from the Disability Benefits Questionnaire for each condition you claimed), and ask you to get tests like X-rays or blood work at no cost to you. You can ask the provider about the exam itself, but they can't discuss the claims process, share results, or make decisions about your claim.
Source: VA.gov, VA claim exam (C&P exam) (opens in a new tab)
Who will examine me?
A VA provider or a VA contract provider. VA says its contractors follow the same medical training, licensing, and privacy standards as VA providers. You can also have your own provider examine you and complete a Disability Benefits Questionnaire to submit to VA, though VA won't pay for that.
Source: VA.gov, VA claim exam (C&P exam) (opens in a new tab)
Can someone come with me?
If you'd like a family member or caregiver with you, discuss it with the provider, who may ask them to wait outside the exam room. For sensitive physical exams, you can ask for a medical assistant or chaperone to stay in the room. If you have children, plan for childcare, since the exam may cover sensitive topics.
Source: VA.gov, VA claim exam (C&P exam) (opens in a new tab)
How long will it take?
Anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour or more, depending on the conditions you claimed and how much information VA needs. The provider also reviews your records outside the exam.
Source: VA.gov, VA claim exam (C&P exam) (opens in a new tab)
If something goes wrong
What if I miss my exam?
Missing your exam will delay your claim, and VA may decide your claim on the evidence it already has, which could affect your benefits. If you missed it for what VA calls good cause, such as a death in your immediate family, homelessness, hospitalization, or a terminal illness, VA will schedule a new appointment. Explain why you missed it by calling 800-827-1000 (TTY: 711), uploading a letter with the claim status tool (opens in a new tab), or mailing a letter to: Department of Veterans Affairs, Evidence Intake Center, PO Box 4444, Janesville, WI 53547-4444.
Source: VA.gov, VA claim exam (C&P exam) (opens in a new tab)
What if I have a concern about my examiner?
Report it right away. You can respond to the contractor's customer satisfaction survey, write a letter and submit it to your claim file, call the contractor that scheduled your exam, call VA at 800-827-1000 (TTY: 711), or contact your local VA regional office (opens in a new tab).
Source: VA.gov, VA claim exam (C&P exam) (opens in a new tab)
After your exam
What happens after my exam?
The provider writes an exam report and sends it to VA. VA reviews all the evidence in your file, decides your claim, and mails you a decision letter. How long that takes depends on how complex your claim is and how many conditions you claimed.
Source: VA.gov, VA claim exam (C&P exam) (opens in a new tab)
How do I check my claim status?
Use the claim status tool on VA.gov (opens in a new tab). It is also where you upload evidence for an open claim.
Source: VA.gov, VA claim exam (C&P exam) (opens in a new tab)
How do I get a copy of my exam results?
You can't get results at the exam or from the provider. Request a copy of the final exam report with a Freedom of Information Act or Privacy Act Request, VA Form 20-10206 (opens in a new tab), submitted online, by mail to the Evidence Intake Center address above, or in person at a VA regional office.
Source: VA.gov, VA claim exam (C&P exam) (opens in a new tab)
What makes a claim successful
What evidence does VA need to grant a disability claim?
For most new claims, the evidence needs to show three things: that you have a current physical or mental condition; that an event, injury, or disease happened during your active service; and that there is a link between your current condition and what happened during your service. In some situations, such as a chronic illness that appears within a year after discharge, VA may conclude the link exists even without that evidence.
Source: VA.gov, Evidence needed for your disability claim (opens in a new tab)
What information does VA use to decide my claim?
The medical records you've given VA, the report from your claim exam, the results of any tests the provider ordered, statements from you and others about your claim, and your military medical and personnel records.
Source: VA.gov, VA claim exam (C&P exam) (opens in a new tab)
Who can help me with my claim?
Only a VA-accredited representative, such as a Veteran service organization representative, attorney, or claims agent, may prepare, present, or prosecute a claim. Find an accredited representative on VA.gov (opens in a new tab).
Source: VA.gov, VA claim exam (C&P exam) (opens in a new tab)
Know the other deadlines that matter. Several federal benefits come with windows tied to your separation date.
The benefit deadlines that matter most
This page is for education only and is not claims advice. VA rules can change; confirm your situation at VA.gov. Only a Department of Veterans Affairs-accredited representative may prepare, present, or prosecute a claim.