Claim Raven explanation
What this means
Missing a required VA examination without good cause can affect a claim or an existing award. The consequence depends on the type of claim and whether entitlement can be established without that examination.
An original compensation claim may be decided on the existing evidence, while other claim types can be denied under this rule. Illness, hospitalization, and a death in the immediate family are examples of possible good cause, not an exhaustive list.
How this helps your claim
If you missed an exam, explain the reason and contact VA promptly about rescheduling. Preserve evidence of notice problems or circumstances that prevented attendance, and identify the type of claim involved.
What to check in your records
Use your decision, examination reports, and relevant records to check the following points.
- Check the appointment notice, address, and any calls or messages about scheduling.
- Gather evidence supporting the reason you could not attend.
- Review whether VA applied the consequence for the correct claim type and considered good cause.
Document an attendance problem promptly and accurately
If an examination was missed, the reason and scheduling history matter. Keep the notice, any rescheduling communications and evidence explaining the problem. Illness, hospitalization and other circumstances should be described as they actually occurred rather than fitted to a stock explanation.
The consequence also depends on the claim category and whether the examination was needed to establish entitlement. Compare the decision's description of the claim with the application and procedural history. A warning about one type of claim should not be assumed to state the result for every missed examination.
Does every missed examination cause an automatic denial?
No. The regulation distinguishes claim types and good-cause circumstances. An original compensation claim may be considered on the existing record, while other situations have different consequences. That distinction is not a reason to ignore an appointment; clarify attendance problems through the scheduling instructions and preserve the correspondence.
Official regulatory text
38 CFR § 3.655
eCFR snapshot: September 3, 2026. Layout and spacing are adapted for reading. The full section and its tables are included below.
§ 3.655 Failure to report for Department of Veterans Affairs examination.
(a) General. When entitlement or continued entitlement to a benefit cannot be established or confirmed without a current VA examination or reexamination and a claimant, without good cause, fails to report for such examination, or reexamination, action shall be taken in accordance with paragraph (b) or (c) of this section as appropriate. Examples of good cause include, but are not limited to, the illness or hospitalization of the claimant, death of an immediate family member, etc. For purposes of this section, the terms examination and reexamination include periods of hospital observation when required by VA.
(b) Original or supplemental claim, or claim for increase. When a claimant fails to report for an examination scheduled in conjunction with an original compensation claim, the claim shall be rated based on the evidence of record. When the examination was scheduled in conjunction with any other original claim, a supplemental claim for a benefit which was previously disallowed, or a claim for increase, the claim shall be denied.
(c) Running award.
(1) When a claimant fails to report for a reexamination and the issue is continuing entitlement, VA shall issue a pretermination notice advising the payee that payment for the disability or disabilities for which the reexamination was scheduled will be discontinued or, if a minimum evaluation is established in part 4 of this title or there is an evaluation protected under § 3.951(b) of this part, reduced to the lower evaluation. Such notice shall also include the prospective date of discontinuance or reduction, the reason therefor and a statement of the claimant's procedural and appellate rights. The claimant shall be allowed 60 days to indicate his or her willingness to report for a reexamination or to present evidence that payment for the disability or disabilities for which the reexamination was scheduled should not be discontinued or reduced.
(2) If there is no response within 60 days, or if the evidence submitted does not establish continued entitlement, payment for such disability or disabilities shall be discontinued or reduced as of the date indicated in the pretermination notice or the date of last payment, whichever is later.
(3) If notice is received that the claimant is willing to report for a reexamination before payment has been discontinued or reduced, action to adjust payment shall be deferred. The reexamination shall be rescheduled and the claimant notified that failure to report for the rescheduled examination shall be cause for immediate discontinuance or reduction of payment. When a claimant fails to report for such rescheduled examination, payment shall be reduced or discontinued as of the date of last payment and shall not be further adjusted until a VA examination has been conducted and the report reviewed.
(4) If within 30 days of a pretermination notice issued under paragraph (c)(1) of this section the claimant requests a hearing, action to adjust payment shall be deferred as set forth in § 3.105(i)(1) of this part. If a hearing is requested more than 30 days after such pretermination notice but before the proposed date of discontinuance or reduction, a hearing shall be scheduled, but payment shall nevertheless be discontinued or reduced as of the date proposed in the pretermination notice or date of last payment, whichever is later, unless information is presented which warrants a different determination. When the claimant has also expressed willingness to report for an examination, however, the provisions of paragraph (c)(3) of this section shall apply.
(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501)
Cross References:
Procedural due process and appellate rights: See § 3.103. Examinations: See § 3.326. Reexaminations: See § 3.327. Resumption of rating when veteran subsequently reports for VA examination: See § 3.330.
[55 FR 49521, Nov. 29, 1990; 58 FR 46865, Sept. 3, 1993; 80 FR 18117, Apr. 3, 2015; 84 FR 171, Jan. 18, 2019]
Related references
- 38 CFR § 3.951: The 20-Year VA Rating Protection
- 38 CFR § 3.105: VA decision revision, CUE, and rating reductions
- 38 CFR § 3.103: Your rights during a VA claim
- 38 CFR § 3.326: VA Exams and Private Medical Evidence
- 38 CFR § 3.327: VA Reexaminations and Future Exam Rules
- 38 CFR § 4.1: What a VA disability rating measures
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