How to Conquer Your Veterans C&P Exam

If you’ve filed a claim for VA disability and you’ve been scheduled for a veterans C&P exam, you may be nervous about how to handle the exam. The first step is to learn about what a C&P exam is, why it’s scheduled, and what is expected of you.

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What is a C&P Exam?

C&P stands for “Compensation and Pension.” The exam helps the VA determine whether a VA disability claimant’s medical condition is service-connected, and also to determine an appropriate disability rating. Not every VA disability claimant has to undergo a C&P exam. These exams are scheduled only if the VA determines that they need additional information.

Here’s how to avoid missteps.

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Attend Your C&P Exam (and Don’t Be Late!)

This may seem obvious, but it’s important to know that a C&P exam is not like a regular doctor appointment that you can reschedule if you miss. You may be able to reschedule your C&P exam if you’re unable to make the scheduled appointment. But, you must request a new date at least 48 hours before your appointment and you can only reschedule once.

If you miss the exam without having rescheduled, you may not be able to get another appointment. You’ll be offered a new exam date only if you missed the appointment for good cause.

Submit any Additional Medical Records Before Your Appointment

You don’t need to bring anything with you to the C&P exam. However, if you have additional or updated medical records, you should upload those records ahead of your C&P exam so the examiner will have complete, current information.

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Be Honest about Your Condition

Sometimes, veterans don’t want to talk about some of the symptoms of their medical conditions or the limitations they face. They may consider some aspects of their disability embarrassing or too personal. But, downplaying your condition can hurt your VA disability claim, resulting in an unnecessary denial or a disability rating that is lower than it should be.

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Consider Bringing Someone With You

It may be helpful to bring someone with you to the exam, even if you don’t physically need help getting there. It can be tough to keep track of everything that’s happening when you’re being examined and answering questions. Bringing a friend or family member with you can be helpful because that person can take notes while you’re busy with the exam. Whether you are allowed to bring a third party into the room with you will depend on the examiner, and perhaps the type of exam you are undergoing.

Get The Help You Need With Your Veterans Disability Claim

The C&P exam is just one aspect of the VA disability claim process that may be unfamiliar and stressful. Knowing what the VA is looking for can make all the difference in putting together a strong, effective claim. At Disabled Vets, helping veterans and their families secure or increase disability benefits is all we do.

To learn more about how we can help, call (888) 373-4722 or fill out our contact form here.