Read your whole C-file and find what to check.
Your C-file is VA's claims file on you: the decisions, exam reports, service records and other evidence VA has gathered for your claims. Raven Cipher reads every page and lists the leads it finds, with the pages behind each one, so you can see what to check as you prepare an increase or challenge a decision.
See every lead, with the pages behind it.
Find the leads in your file. Cipher groups what it finds: time limits, back pay and effective dates, ratings, new and secondary claims, exam and decision problems, other benefits, and questions to ask a representative. Open the pages behind each lead. Each lead lists the pages it comes from. Open them and read the record yourself. Start with a plain summary. A short written summary at the top says what leads are in your file. Leads are things to check, not decisions.
Search the file, then take the summary with you.
Four tabs keep the read in order: Leads, Conditions, Timeline, and Search, which looks through every page of the file. The printable summary has a short page index: the written summary, each lead with its page numbers, and a list of the file's documents with their dates and pages. Print it or email it, and take it to a representative or attorney.
One C-file read comes with Plus and Pathfinder.
Plus, monthly or annual, and Pathfinder include one C-file read for each member, however many pages your file has. Current Plus subscribers get one too. The included Plus read does not reset each month or year. Standard reads and extra Plus reads are $19 each, any size. Pathfinder members read again for free. On a free account, choose Standard to buy a read or Plus for an included read. Read my C-file
Common questions
Can I upload a C-file that came in several PDFs?
Yes. Select the PDFs together when you upload. Cipher combines them into one read. The upload form shows the file-size limits; the number of pages does not change the read price.
Is a C-file read included with my plan?
Yes, on Plus, monthly or annual, and Pathfinder. Each member gets one read, however many pages the file has, and current Plus subscribers get one too. The included Plus read does not reset each month or year. The $0.99 first week of Plus does not include it: the read starts with your first monthly payment. Standard reads and extra Plus reads are $19 each. Pathfinder members read again for free. On a free account, upgrade to read a C-file.
Do I get another included read when my Plus plan renews?
No. Plus includes one C-file read per member, not one each month or year. Current subscribers are included. After that read is used, extra reads are $19 each. Pathfinder rereads are free while your Pathfinder access is active.
Does a lead mean VA owes me something?
No. A lead is something to check in your file, not a decision. VA decides your claim.
Can Cipher help me investigate a possible CUE?
Cipher can list exam and decision problems, with the pages behind them, for you to check. It does not determine whether an issue meets the legal standard for clear and unmistakable error (CUE).
I paid for a Cipher read before. Does it still count toward a plan?
Eligible payments for the earlier Cipher analysis offer can still be applied once toward a Standard or Plus annual subscription, up to the price of that plan. The eligible amount comes off at checkout. New $19 C-file reads do not count toward a subscription. It cannot be combined with another discount or referral code, and refunded purchases do not qualify.
How long does a read take?
It depends on the size of the file, the quality of the scans and how many files are waiting to be read.
Can I come back to my results?
Yes. Sign in and open Read my C-file to see your leads again. You can print or email the summary with its page index.
What if I don't have my C-file yet?
You'll need the file before Cipher can review it. The C-file request guide explains how to request your records.