What evidence supports a VA disability claim?

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) decides disability claims based on evidence. The clearer and more complete your evidence, the easier it is for VA to understand your situation.

This guide covers the main types of evidence and how each one fits in.

What VA needs to see

For a new claim, VA generally looks for three things:

1. A current illness or injury that affects your mind or body.
2. An event, injury or illness during your service, or a condition that service made worse.
3. A link between your current condition and your service.

Definition

Nexus: The link between your current condition and your military service. VA says it usually needs medical records or medical opinions from health care providers to support this link.

Military records: DD214 and service treatment records

Your DD214, or other separation documents, shows your dates and character of service. VA uses it to confirm your service.

Your service treatment records show medical care you received while serving. They can document an injury, illness or symptom that started during service.

If you want your own copies, VA.gov explains how to request your military service records (opens in a new tab).

Medical records: VA and private

Medical records show your current diagnosis and how severe your symptoms are. VA considers records from VA health care and from private doctors.

• VA medical records. If you get care at VA, VA can access these records. Tell VA which facility and dates matter for your claim.
• Private medical records. These come from doctors, hospitals and clinics outside VA. You can upload them yourself, or give VA permission to request them.

Recent records are especially useful. They help show how your condition affects you today. Doctors' reports, X-rays and test results can all help.

Buddy and lay statements

Not all evidence comes from doctors. VA also accepts written statements from people who know about your condition or what happened during service.

Definition

Lay statement (buddy statement): A written statement from you, a family member, a friend or someone you served with. It describes what the person saw or knows firsthand, such as an event in service or how your symptoms affect your daily life.

VA says you can write a statement on plain paper. You can also use VA Form 21-10210, the Lay/Witness Statement, or VA Form 21-4138, the Statement in Support of Claim.

Good statements are specific and honest. They describe what the writer saw, when it happened and how they know it. They stick to facts the writer knows firsthand.

DBQs and nexus opinions

Two kinds of medical documents often help clarify a claim.

Definition

Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ): A VA form for a specific condition that asks for the medical details VA needs to rate it. VA publishes public DBQs that your own health care provider can fill out.

A completed DBQ can give VA organized, condition-specific information. VA notes that it may still ask you to attend a Compensation & Pension (C&P) exam. VA also says it does not pay or reimburse any costs of completing a DBQ.

A nexus opinion is a written medical opinion from a provider about whether your condition is related to your service. A helpful opinion explains the reasoning behind it, based on your records and history. Whether one is needed depends on your claim.

Intent to File

Gathering evidence takes time. An Intent to File lets you set a potential start date for benefits while you get ready.

Definition

Intent to File: A notice to VA that you plan to file a claim. VA says it sets a potential start date, or effective date, for your benefits. After you submit it, you have 1 year to complete and file your claim.

You can submit an Intent to File online, by phone, or by mail using VA Form 21-0966. VA also says that if you file your disability claim online, you do not need to notify VA of your intent to file separately. If your claim is approved, you may be able to get retroactive payments back to that date.

Evidence is the heart of any claim. If you are not sure what your file is missing, you can talk with our team about your situation, or read What happens after filing a VA disability claim? to see how VA uses what you send.