A Compensation and Pension exam is not an interrogation. It is a medical examination used to gather information the VA still needs to decide a claim or evaluate a condition. The provider may ask questions from the applicable Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ), review records, perform an examination, or request testing.

The DBQ is an important part of the structure, but no public question list can predict every exam. This page organizes common topics by claim type so you can prepare accurate, complete answers without rehearsing a script.

TL;DR

  • The VA schedules a C&P exam when it needs more information. You cannot start the scheduling process yourself.
  • The provider may use a DBQ and ask follow-up questions based on your records and claimed condition.
  • Submit new non-VA medical records to the VA before the appointment. The examiner may review records you bring, but cannot submit them for you.
  • Be honest about frequency, severity, and functional impact. Exaggeration and minimization both hurt your claim.
  • Follow the appointment letter, arrive early, and wear clothes that allow you to move comfortably if a physical examination is expected.
  • If the exam report appears incomplete or inaccurate, you can report the concern and submit competent supporting evidence.

How C&P exams work

The VA may order a C&P exam when it needs more information to decide a claim. The exam is free to you. A VA provider or contract provider conducts it. The VA currently identifies Loyal Source Government Services, OptumServe Health Services, Leidos QTC Health Services, and Veterans Evaluation Services as its scheduling contractors.

The provider reviews the records VA makes available, gathers the requested findings, and sends a report to the VA. The provider does not make the final benefits decision and generally cannot tell you the exam result.

The DBQ structure

A Disability Benefits Questionnaire is a standardized form. It organizes condition-specific medical information; the actual questions and findings depend on the examination and record. The sections vary by condition, but most include:

  1. Diagnosis and history
  2. Current symptoms
  3. Functional impact
  4. Occupational and social impairment
  5. Clinical observations and test findings
  6. A medical opinion when the VA separately requests one

Understanding this structure helps you answer accurately. When the examiner asks about your sleep, they are probably filling out the symptom checklist. When they ask about your work history, they are documenting occupational impairment.

Questions by claim type

The sections below list common questions by claim category. These are not scripts to memorize. They are guides to help you understand what information the examiner needs.

Mental health (PTSD, depression, anxiety)

The length of a mental health exam varies. The examiner may need to address diagnosis, symptom history, and effects on work and relationships, depending on the purpose of the examination.

#### Diagnosis and history

  • What mental health conditions have you been diagnosed with?
  • When did symptoms first begin?
  • Were you treated for mental health symptoms during service?
  • Have symptoms worsened, improved, or stayed the same over time?
  • What medications are you currently taking for mental health?

#### Current symptoms

The examiner runs through a symptom checklist. For PTSD, this includes intrusion, avoidance, negative alterations in cognition and mood, and alterations in arousal and reactivity. For depression and anxiety, the checklist covers sleep, concentration, energy, appetite, guilt, and suicidality.

Common questions:

  • How many hours of sleep do you get on a typical night?
  • Do you have nightmares or flashbacks? How often?
  • Do you avoid crowds, driving, or specific places?
  • How is your concentration at work or during conversations?
  • Have you had thoughts of harming yourself?

#### Occupational and social impairment

Occupational and social impairment is an important part of the mental-disorders rating framework. The provider needs an accurate account of how symptoms affect work and relationships.

  • Are you currently working? If not, when did you stop?
  • Have you been fired or disciplined because of mental health symptoms?
  • Do you have friends? How often do you socialize?
  • How is your relationship with your spouse or family?
  • Can you manage your finances and daily hygiene?

#### Stressor details (PTSD only)

For some PTSD examinations, the provider may ask about the claimed in-service stressor and current diagnostic criteria. Be prepared to describe the event in your own words. Initial PTSD and initial TBI DBQs are not among the forms VA makes available for public use, so online checklists cannot reproduce every question you may receive.

Musculoskeletal (back, knee, shoulder, hip)

Musculoskeletal exams focus on range of motion, pain, and functional loss. The examiner will likely measure your joints with a goniometer.

#### Range of motion

  • Can you bend forward, backward, and side to side?
  • Can you straighten your leg fully?
  • Can you raise your arm above your head?
  • Does pain limit your motion? At what point does the pain start?

#### Pain and functional loss

  • How often does the pain occur? Daily, weekly, only during flare-ups?
  • What activities make it worse? Sitting, standing, walking, lifting?
  • Do you use a brace, cane, or other assistive device?
  • Have you had surgery for this condition?

#### Flare-ups

The provider may ask about flare-ups and whether pain, weakness, fatigability, or other symptoms cause additional functional loss. Describe how often flare-ups occur, how long they last, what triggers them, and what activities become harder or impossible.

Respiratory (sleep apnea, asthma, COPD)

Respiratory exams document symptoms, treatment, and impact on daily life. For sleep apnea, the examiner may review your sleep study. For asthma and COPD, pulmonary function tests are key.

#### Symptoms

  • How often do you experience shortness of breath?
  • Do you use a CPAP machine? How many hours per night?
  • Have you been hospitalized for respiratory symptoms?
  • Do symptoms wake you at night?
  • How far can you walk without becoming short of breath?

#### Treatment

  • What medications do you take? Inhalers, steroids, oxygen?
  • Have you had pulmonary function testing? What were the results?
  • Have you been treated in an emergency room for breathing problems?

#### Impact

  • Does your condition affect your ability to work?
  • Do you avoid certain activities because of breathing limitations?

Neurological (TBI, migraines, peripheral neuropathy)

Neurological exams vary widely depending on the condition. For TBI, the examiner may test memory, concentration, and executive function. For migraines, the focus is on frequency, duration, and prostrating attacks.

#### TBI

  • Have you lost consciousness? For how long?
  • Do you have memory problems? Give examples.
  • Have you noticed changes in mood or personality?
  • Do you have headaches, dizziness, or vision problems?
  • Have you been diagnosed with a cognitive disorder?

#### Migraines

  • How many headache days do you have per month?
  • How long do migraines typically last?
  • Are your migraines prostrating? Do they force you to lie down in a dark room?
  • How often do you miss work because of migraines?
  • What medications do you take? Are they preventive or abortive?

General medical (diabetes, hypertension, skin conditions)

General medical exams document the current state of the condition, complications, and treatment.

  • When were you diagnosed?
  • What medications do you take?
  • Have you developed complications? (For diabetes: neuropathy, retinopathy, kidney disease. For hypertension: organ damage.)
  • How often do you see a doctor for this condition?
  • Does it affect your daily activities?

What to prepare and submit

VA says you generally do not need to bring records to the examination. If you have new non-VA medical records, submit them to VA before the appointment through the claim status tool, an accredited representative, or a VA regional office. If you also bring a copy, the provider may review it, but cannot submit it to VA for you.

Follow any instructions in your appointment letter. It is also useful to prepare a current medication list and a short factual timeline so you can answer accurately.

Mental health:

  • A symptom log if you keep one
  • Records from any private therapist or psychiatrist
  • A list of current medications and dosages

Musculoskeletal:

  • Recent imaging reports (MRI, X-ray)
  • A pain or flare-up log
  • Your assistive devices

Respiratory:

  • Sleep study results (for sleep apnea)
  • Pulmonary function test results (for asthma or COPD)
  • CPAP compliance data if available

Neurological:

  • Neurology consultation notes
  • Headache log with dates, duration, and severity
  • Cognitive testing results if available

Clinical observations

Depending on the DBQ, the provider may document clinical observations made during the examination. These can include:

  • Grooming and hygiene
  • Eye contact and engagement
  • Mood and affect
  • Memory and orientation
  • Gait and use of assistive devices

The best way to handle this is to be yourself. Do not perform. Answer questions honestly and completely.

If the exam goes badly

Not every C&P exam is favorable. If the examiner's report contradicts your medical records or understates your symptoms, you have options.

Submit competent medical evidence: Your own health care provider may be able to complete a public DBQ or provide relevant treatment records. VA will evaluate the evidence for competence, completeness, and consistency with the rest of the file.

Identify the medical question: Read the opinion and the decision, if one has been issued. A qualified clinician may be able to address a disputed medical connection, but a private letter is not automatically required or sufficient.

Check the review option: If VA issues an unfavorable decision, a Supplemental Claim may allow new and relevant evidence. Filing within one year can matter for continuous pursuit and the effective date; later filing may still be possible. Higher-Level Review accepts no new evidence. Read the notice before choosing.

Report a problem promptly: If the provider behaved improperly or the examination was incomplete, report the concern to the contractor or VA and add a factual statement to your claim file. A later reviewer decides whether another examination or opinion is needed.

Common failure modes

  • Rehearsing answers. A memorized script can leave out important facts or create inconsistencies with the record.
  • Exaggerating symptoms. Describe your experience accurately. If an older record and your current symptoms differ, explain changes over time and the limits of your recollection.
  • Minimizing symptoms. Downplaying what happens can leave the history incomplete. Explain actual effects without exaggerating or minimizing them.
  • Forgetting flare-ups. If the examiner only sees you on a good day, the report may understate your condition. Mention flare-ups explicitly.
  • Arriving unprepared. Without a medication list or recent records, the examiner may miss key information.

Practice explaining one real activity

Practice remembering your facts, not memorizing an answer. A useful structure is: what you tried to do, what happened, how often it happened during the period you are describing, and what you did next.

Fictional example: “I changed shifts after difficulty concentrating began affecting a particular task. I can explain what the task was and point to the schedule change. Other factors also affected my hours, so I want to distinguish those from the symptoms.”

This does not supply a diagnosis, a required frequency, or a rating level. If you have not had that experience, do not copy it. Describe better days and worse periods accurately, say when you are estimating, and distinguish what a record shows from what you remember. For a one-page preparation note, use the C&P exam preparation guide.

Using Claim Raven

Claim Raven's C&P exam preparation tool can help organize the symptoms, records, and real examples you want to remember. The buddy letter tool helps organize witness statements that support your claim. The disability calculator checks your combined rating.

Bottom line

A C&P exam is a documentation exercise, not a test of your character. The examiner needs specific information to fill out a form. Your job is to give accurate, complete answers about your symptoms, your treatment, and how your condition affects your life. Honesty is the only strategy that works.

Sources and limitations

  • VA Claim Exams, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, checked September 8, 2026.
  • VA's Duty to Assist, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, checked September 8, 2026.
  • Evidence Needed for a Disability Claim, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
  • Public Disability Benefits Questionnaires, Veterans Benefits Administration, checked September 8, 2026.
  • 38 C.F.R. § 3.326 (examinations).
  • The question lists are drawn from the structure of the published Disability Benefits Questionnaires and the rating criteria they map to, not from a sample of completed exam reports. The VA does not publish standard exam lengths, and examiners vary in how they work through a DBQ. Your exam may differ.

Where to go next

Claim Raven is data analysis, not legal, medical, or VA-accredited advice.

-Landon Founder, Claim Raven | U.S. Army Veteran