C&P Exam Report Has Errors? What to Do and Document
Quote the passage, name the record that shows otherwise, and explain why it matters. Then answer it in the pending claim or in the right decision review.
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Knee Instability Evidence for a VA Increase: What to Document
Under DC 5257, 10% needs no prescription, while 20% and 30% need a provider-prescribed brace or device. Record each giving-way episode and keep the prescription records.
IBS Symptom Diary for a VA Claim: A Weekly Template for the 2024 Criteria
Keep a weekly IBS tally of days with abdominal pain related to a bowel movement and the bowel changes that came with it, the same things VA's 2024 criteria count.
IBS Secondary to PTSD: VA Evidence, Rating and the Gulf War Route
VA can grant IBS secondary to PTSD, including IBS diagnosed before PTSD when PTSD made it worse. The research, the 2024 IBS rating criteria, the Gulf War presumption, and the records to gather.
Insomnia Secondary to Tinnitus: VA Evidence and Rating
VA can service-connect insomnia secondary to tinnitus, and the Board granted it in 2025. The rating is the complicated part: Board judges have split on a separate insomnia rating.
VA Claim Denied Without a C&P Exam: When VA Had to Order One
VA must order an exam or opinion only when the file shows a current disability, an in-service event and a possible link. Check those elements before calling a missing exam an error.
VA Disability Increase Denied: Compare the Evidence With the Rating Criteria
An increase denial compares the evidence for a set period with your diagnostic code's criteria. Check the dates, the next level's criteria, flare-up estimates and staged ratings.
VA PTSD Claim Denied: Find the Diagnosis, Stressor or Link Problem
PTSD service connection needs a diagnosis, credible support for the stressor and a medical link. Find which one your denial disputes, and which stressor rule applies to your service.
Do You Need a Private DBQ? What to Check Before Paying
A private DBQ can document a clinician's findings, but the fee does not buy a VA rating or cancel a VA exam. Compare published prices, then decide whether it fills a real evidence gap.
TDIU and Self-Employment: Records That Show Your Actual Work
Self-employment does not rule out TDIU, but current work must be marginal. Document your tasks, hours, time lost and earned income the way VA asks for them.
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