How To Prepare For Your C&P Exam

If the VA requested you to take a VA claim exam, you need to learn how to prepare for your C&P exam.

The VA Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam is sometimes referred to as your VA claim exam. Not everyone who files for VA disability has to attend an exam…but VA can request the exam to assess your disability and needs.

Sometimes you may be required to attend a C&P exam on a regular basis, say once every two to five years to see if your service connected disability has improved or worsened. If you have a claim or appeal pending in which you are seeking to establish that your disability is service connected, your examiner may assess if your condition is related to your military service. After your examination is completed, it will be uploaded to your VA claim file for a VA adjudicator to review.

You must get ready for a C&P exam to get all the compensation you DESERVE for serving our country. At George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers, someone from our experienced team can help veterans like you build a strong appeal, prepare for the exam, and assist with other evidence development.

What Should I Bring to My Exam?

If you have any service records or private medical records for the condition that is being examined, and which have not yet been provided to the VA, you may want to bring them to the examination with you. Keep in mind, however, that if you also want the VA to have these records as part of your file, they will also need to be separately submitted to the VA.

If you have a log of symptoms and limitations it can sometimes be helpful to bring it with you for the examiner to review. Again, if you also want the VA to have your log as part of your file, it will also need to be separately submitted to the VA.

Service Connection

Sometimes the C&P exam will show the link between your disability and your military service. This is important for establishing your eligibility for VA disability benefits. If you have copies of your service records, you MIGHT want to bring them with you so your examiner can match the time of your injury with your service.

Disability Rating

A VA Examination will report on the severity of your condition so that the VA decision maker can match your disability with the appropriate VA disability ratings. For this reason, it is important to explain to the examiner how your symptoms affect your ability to function, both at home, with family and friends, and at work.

How to Prepare for the Exam

If you have kids, you may want to get a babysitter so they’re not at the exam: The C&P exam can delve into private, VERY personal questions, so you may not feel comfortable explaining the severity of your condition with children into the room.You might want to bring your spouse or someone else close to you but keep in mind that the VA examiner might not let anyone in the room with you.

What to Wear

If you are being examined for a physical condition, wear comfortable clothing that lets you move around easily. If you are being examined for a mental health condition, you can wear the same clothes you would wear any other day.

At Your ExamHere are tips on how to interact with the doctor:

• Always tell the TRUTH,
• Describe the physical and mental effects from your injury.
• Give a full description of the way your injury affects your daily life.
• Do NOT argue with the doctor, since they do not decide your compensation.
• After your exam, write down how the process went and how it made you feel, as this can help your attorney if an appeal becomes necessary.

If You Disagree with the Exam Results

Your C&P exam results are not set in stone. If you disagree with the results, consider getting another medical examination from your personal doctor— someone who knows you better, and has tracked your health regularly.

If after your examination you receive a decision from the VA that you are not fully satisfied with, maybe it denied your claim or didn’t give you the rating you were looking for, consider an appeal.

Speak with a Knowledgeable Attorney Today

At George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers, we have worked on veterans’ cases just like yours. We understand how to appeal for disability. We can build a strong case for the benefits and compensation you DESERVE.

Talk to us today by calling (888) 533-3815 or by filling out the form on our contact page. Thank you for your service and we look forward to talking with you about your case.