C&P Exam Preparation Checklist: Everything You Need Before Your VA Exam

Preparation is the single biggest factor you can control when it comes to your C&P exam outcome. The examiner only knows what you tell them and what they observe during a relatively short appointment. Arriving organized with documentation in hand and a clear understanding of how to communicate your symptoms puts you in the strongest possible position.

This checklist walks you through everything you need to do in the weeks leading up to your exam, what to bring on the day, and how to prepare mentally so you can present your conditions accurately under pressure.

4 Weeks Before: Start Gathering

As soon as you receive your appointment notice, start your preparation. Waiting until the last minute creates unnecessary stress and may mean you cannot obtain important documents in time.

Confirm Your Appointment

• Verify the date, time, and location on your appointment letter
• Mark it on multiple calendars and set reminders for the week before and the day before
• Check which conditions are being examined and confirm they match your claim
• Plan your route to the facility, including parking
• Request time off work immediately

Request Your VA Claims File

Your VA claims file (C-file) contains all evidence the VA currently has about your service and medical history. Review it so you understand what the VA already knows and can identify gaps.

• Download claim documents through VA.gov
• Ask your VSO to review your file with you
• Submit a FOIA request if you need the complete file

Start Collecting Medical Records

Gather copies of all relevant medical documentation:

• Service treatment records documenting in-service injuries or diagnoses
• VA medical records from recent visits and treatments
• Private doctor records from non-VA providers and specialists
• Emergency room records related to your claimed conditions
• Diagnostic imaging such as X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans
• Specialist evaluations from orthopedists, cardiologists, psychiatrists, or other specialists
• Physical therapy records showing ongoing treatment

Make copies of everything. Never bring original documents to your exam.

2 Weeks Before: Document and Plan

Write Your Personal Impact Statement

This is one of the most valuable things you can prepare. Write a detailed description of how each claimed condition affects your daily life. You will use this as a reference during the exam so you do not forget critical details under stress.

Cover these areas for each condition:

• Daily limitations: What activities can you no longer do or do with difficulty?
• Pain and symptoms: Specific pain levels (use a 1-10 scale), frequency, duration, and triggers
• Worst days vs. typical days: Describe both your baseline and your flare-ups
• Work impact: How does the condition affect your ability to earn a living?
• Social impact: Effects on relationships, hobbies, and activities you used to enjoy
• Sleep: How does the condition disrupt your sleep?
• Mobility: Difficulty walking, standing, sitting, or climbing stairs

Collect Buddy Statements

Buddy statements (lay statements) are written accounts from people who have witnessed your condition and its effects. These can support what you tell the examiner. Ask for statements from:

• Your spouse or partner who sees your daily struggles
• Family members who have noticed changes
• Fellow service members who witnessed the in-service event or onset
• Coworkers who have observed your limitations
• Friends who have seen changes in your abilities

Each statement should include specific observations, approximate dates, the writer's relationship to you, and their signature.

Create a Medication List

Write out every medication you take, including:

• Medication name (generic and brand)
• Dosage and how often you take it
• Which condition it treats
• How long you have been on it
• Side effects you experience
• Whether it effectively controls your symptoms

Include prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, supplements, and any medical devices you use (CPAP machines, braces, hearing aids). Your pharmacy can print a complete list if needed.

1 Week Before: Review and Practice

Review Your Claim

Re-read your entire VA disability claim to make sure your exam statements will be consistent:

• What conditions did you claim?
• What did you say about when and how each started?
• What evidence did you submit?
• Has anything changed since you filed?

If your condition has worsened since filing, be prepared to explain the progression.

Practice Describing Your Conditions

This step surprises many veterans, but it makes a real difference. Practice saying out loud how your conditions affect you. Many veterans are conditioned to downplay pain or say "I'm fine" out of habit.

Practice with a family member or friend:

• Describe your symptoms in specific detail
• Walk through a typical difficult day
• Explain how your conditions limit your daily activities
• Practice not minimizing what you experience

Organize Your Documentation

Create a clearly organized folder with copies of all documents:

1. Appointment letter and photo ID
2. Personal impact statement and symptom notes
3. Medication list
4. Medical records organized by condition, most recent on top
5. Buddy statements
6. Photos of scars, injuries, or visible conditions
7. Treatment timeline

Consider bringing two copies of everything: one for the examiner and one for your own reference during the exam.

The Day Before

Physical Preparation

• Lay out comfortable, accessible clothing (shorts if lower body conditions are being examined)
• Plan a healthy meal for exam day
• Double-check your route to the facility
• Charge your phone
• Pack your documentation folder, medications, water, and snacks into one bag

Mental Preparation

• Read through your personal impact statement one more time
• Use relaxation techniques if you are feeling anxious
• Avoid alcohol
• Get as much sleep as you can
• Set realistic expectations: the exam is one piece of evidence, not the entire decision

What Not to Do

• Do not overexert yourself physically the day before
• Do not test your limitations by trying movements you normally avoid
• Do not skip your medications
• Do not stay up late cramming or over-preparing

Day of the Exam: What to Bring

Essentials

• Valid photo ID (driver's license, state ID, or military ID)
• Appointment letter
• Your organized documentation folder

Medical Items

• Current medication list with dosages
• Recent prescription bottles (the examiner may want to see them)
• Medical devices you regularly use: cane, walker, brace, hearing aids, CPAP documentation

Personal Items

• Pen and small notebook for notes during or after the exam
• Water bottle
• Snacks in case of long wait times
• Your phone for emergencies or accessing digital documents

During the Exam: Quick Reminders

• Arrive 15-20 minutes early
• Be honest and thorough about your symptoms
• Describe your worst days, not just your good days
• Reference your notes if you need to
• Stop during range of motion tests when you feel pain
• Make sure every claimed condition on your appointment letter gets discussed
• At the end, ask: "Have we covered all the conditions listed on my appointment?"

After the Exam

Your preparation does not end when the exam is over:

• Write down everything you remember about the exam while it is fresh
• Note what was missed if the examiner did not address something important
• Request a copy of the exam report once it is submitted to the VA
• Submit a follow-up statement if you forgot to mention something critical
• Continue your medical treatment to maintain documentation

How the Benefits Finder Helps

The disability rating that results from your C&P exam determines which federal and state benefits you qualify for. Even a 10% difference in rating can unlock significant additional benefits.

Use the Veterans Benefits Finder to see what benefits are available at your current or expected rating level, so you understand what is at stake as you prepare for your exam.