What to Expect at Your C&P Exam in 2026

The Compensation & Pension exam is one of the most important appointments in your entire VA disability claim. It is the moment where a medical professional evaluates your conditions, documents their severity, and provides an opinion on whether they are connected to your military service. What happens during this exam directly shapes the VA's rating decision.

Despite how much rides on it, many veterans walk into their C&P exam with no idea what to expect. This guide changes that by walking you through every phase of the process so there are no surprises.

How the Exam Gets Scheduled

After you file your VA disability claim, the VA reviews your application and decides which conditions need a medical examination. Not every claim triggers a C&P exam. If your medical records already contain enough evidence, the VA may make a decision without one through the Acceptable Clinical Evidence (ACE) program.

If a C&P exam is required, you will be notified by one or more of these methods:

• Mail from the VA or a contracted vendor (VES, QTC, or LHI)
• Phone call from the contractor to schedule directly
• Email if you have opted into electronic communications
• VA.gov notification on your claim status page

Expect to receive your appointment notice 2 to 4 weeks before the exam date. The notice will include the date, time, location, which conditions are being evaluated, and examiner information.

Types of C&P Exams

Your exam format depends on the conditions you claimed, your location, and VA policies at the time.

In-Person Exams

The standard format. You visit a VA medical center or a contractor's office for a hands-on evaluation. In-person exams are required for conditions that need physical assessment like orthopedic injuries, cardiovascular issues, respiratory conditions, neurological problems, and skin conditions.

Telehealth Exams

The VA expanded telehealth options significantly starting in 2020. These are common for mental health evaluations like PTSD, depression, and anxiety. You will need a reliable internet connection, a device with a camera and microphone, and a private space for the appointment.

Contract Vendor Exams

The VA uses three main contract companies to conduct C&P exams: VES (Veterans Evaluation Services), QTC Medical Services, and LHI (Logistics Health Inc). These exams follow the same VA protocols and use the same standardized forms as exams at VA medical centers. Your rights and the exam's impact on your claim are identical regardless of who conducts it.

Who Conducts the Exam

Your examiner will be a licensed healthcare provider, though not necessarily a physician. The type of provider depends on your claimed conditions:

• Physicians (MD/DO) for complex medical conditions and comprehensive exams
• Psychologists or Psychiatrists for all mental health evaluations
• Nurse Practitioners for general medical exams
• Audiologists for hearing loss and tinnitus
• Physician Assistants for physical assessments

The examiner is not your treating physician. They are there to assess your condition on that specific day and report their findings to the VA. They may not have reviewed your entire medical history before the appointment, which is why bringing your own documentation matters.

Day of the Exam: Checking In

Plan to arrive 15 to 20 minutes early. This gives you time to find parking, complete intake paperwork, and settle your nerves.

When you arrive, approach the reception desk with your appointment letter and a valid photo ID. The staff will confirm which conditions are being evaluated. Verify this matches your understanding. If conditions are missing from the list, mention it immediately.

What Happens During the Exam

C&P exams follow a structured format, though the specifics vary by condition type.

Opening Discussion (5-10 Minutes)

The examiner introduces themselves, explains their role, and confirms which conditions are being evaluated. This is your chance to mention any documentation you brought and ask any questions about the process.

Medical History Review (10-20 Minutes)

The examiner asks detailed questions about each condition: when it started, what symptoms you experience, how often and how severe they are, what treatments you have tried, and how the condition affects your daily life and ability to work.

Be thorough and specific. Instead of saying "my back hurts," say "I experience constant lower back pain at a 5 out of 10 that increases to 8 out of 10 after standing for more than 15 minutes, and the pain radiates down my left leg."

Physical Examination (10-30 Minutes)

For physical conditions, the examiner conducts hands-on assessment: visual inspection for scars or swelling, palpation for tenderness, range of motion testing with a goniometer, strength testing, neurological checks, and gait assessment.

During range of motion testing, move naturally as you would on a typical day. Stop and speak up when you feel pain. The examiner needs to document where pain begins, not how far you can push through it.

Mental Health Examination (30-60 Minutes)

Mental health C&P exams are longer and involve extensive discussion. Expect questions about the traumatic event, current symptoms across all PTSD categories (intrusive thoughts, avoidance, negative mood changes, hyperarousal), how symptoms affect relationships and work, sleep patterns, coping mechanisms, and treatment history.

These exams can be emotionally draining. It is okay to become emotional, take breaks, or ask for a moment to collect yourself.

Closing Discussion (5-10 Minutes)

The examiner asks if you have anything else to add and confirms all claimed conditions were addressed. This is your last chance to mention symptoms or details you have not discussed. Once you leave, you cannot add information to this specific exam.

What the Examiner Documents

The examiner fills out a Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) covering several areas:

• Current diagnosis: Whether you have the claimed condition
• Severity: Specific symptoms, measurements, and test results
• Functional impact: How the condition affects your ability to work and perform daily activities
• Nexus opinion: Whether the condition is "at least as likely as not" connected to your military service

The examiner does not assign a disability rating. That is the job of the VA rating specialist who reviews the complete DBQ along with everything else in your claim file.

After the Exam

Once the exam concludes, the examiner completes their report and submits it to the VA, typically within 3 to 10 days. After that:

• The report enters your claim file in the Veterans Benefits Management System
• A rating specialist reviews the exam alongside all other evidence
• If the exam is incomplete, the VA may order a second exam
• A rating decision is generated, usually 3 to 6 months after the exam

Getting Your Exam Report

You can request a copy of the C&P exam report through VA.gov once the decision is made, by submitting a Freedom of Information Act request, through your VSO, or as part of your rating decision packet. Always review the report for accuracy.

If the Exam Did Not Go Well

If you feel the exam was too short, the examiner missed conditions, or the report does not accurately reflect your symptoms, you have options:

• Submit a written statement to your claim explaining what was missed or inaccurate
• Provide additional medical records from your treating physicians
• Get a private DBQ completed by your own doctor
• Request a new exam through your VSO if the first was clearly inadequate
• File an appeal if you receive an unfavorable decision (Supplemental Claim or Higher-Level Review)

How the Benefits Finder Helps

Your C&P exam results directly influence your disability rating, and your rating determines which benefits you qualify for. The difference between a 50% and 70% rating can unlock thousands of dollars in additional annual benefits, from property tax exemptions to healthcare for your dependents.

Use the Veterans Benefits Finder to see exactly which benefits become available at your current or expected disability rating.