If you’re claim is for migraines, why would you submit 500 pages of your personal records when only 5 pages talk about migraines? 

Those other 495 pages could possibly be used against your claim.

CONTROL AS MUCH OF YOUR CLAIM AS POSSIBLE

• Obtain your records yourself
• Only submit relevant evidence
• Claim specifics. Claiming “Back Condition” put’s you out of control. 

The less work you can put on the adjudicator the better. This goes hand in hand with controlling your claim.

• Don’t submit thousands of pages of medical documents for the adjudicator to sift through.
• Submit relevant records for each Claimed Condition in a chronological ordered PDF.
• Highlight important information. Dates, diagnoses, doctor notes, etc…
• Separate your records for each Claimed Condition and clearly name each document. ex: “Lower Back Condition Diagnosis and Medical Records”

Knowing the rating criteria for the conditions you claimed is critical if you want to be rated accurately. 

With this knowledge you’ll be able to:

• Know what you should berated at for most conditions
• Know if your current medical evidence supports an accurate rating
• Write a statement with KEY WORDS needed to support an accurate rating and defend against low ratings
• Know what matters at C&P Exams
•  

I’d argue that a personal statement might be one of the most important parts of supporting a winning claim. A personal statement from you is POWERFUL. 

A personal statement alone can serve as proof of an in service event when there isn’t one on your record. 

Now let that sink in. That’s one of the 3 main things you need to win a claim…

A Personal statement can account for the lack of continuity of symptoms.

A common reason C&P examiners provide an unfavorable medical opinion is the lack of continuity of symptoms. “The veterans records show a similar diagnosis in service as the claimed diagnoses, but the records are silent post service of any complaints for X years. Therefore the current diagnosis of Left Shoulder Slap Tear is less likely than not related to service.” If your medical records post service are silent of complaints, you can address this in your statement. A few simple sentences can do wonders in supporting a claim. “The pain in my lower back started in service, continued after service, and currently affects me to this day. This pain has only progressively worsened throughout the years. I chose not to go the doctor because I was able to mitigate the pain with OTC medications, rest, massages, and heat. In 2020 the pains became sever enough I had to see a doctor.“

A personal statement can be used to defend your claim

Did the C&P examiner not accurately fill out the DBQ and because of this you got a lower rating that what you should have? Use your well written statement prove this in a HLR. Your statement is part of the foundation of a winning claim. 

Do you need a Nexus Letter?

Should you submit Medical Treatises?

These questions greatly depend on what your claiming, how much evidence you have, and how YOU want to handle your claim.

Let’s use a claim for IBS as an example here.

IBS falls under diagnostic code 7319. To be rated at 30% you have to have “Severe; diarrhea, or alternating diarrhea and constipation, with more or less constant abdominal distress”.

You fall under this 30% category. You’ve already written a statement that supports this, and you have your exam coming up.

Find the DBQ for IBS and read it.

If the above boxes are not checked, you likely won’t be rated properly.

Use this information to your advantage. Use keywords found on the DBQ during your exam. Make sure you make it known to your examiner that you experience these symptoms. 

If you finish your exam and these questions were never asked, address it. Let the examiner know your concerns. This process takes a long time, and one small thing being overlooked can set you back drastically.