Filing a VA Claim Without Medical Records

Why This Is So Common

"I never went to medical." This is one of the most common things veterans say when they think about filing a VA claim—and one of the biggest reasons they hesitate to file at all.

The reality is that many service members avoided sick call for good reasons:

• Mission first mentality: You pushed through because the job needed to get done
• Career concerns: You worried that seeking treatment would hurt your advancement or deployability
• Stigma: Especially for mental health, there was real or perceived stigma around getting help
• Normalization: Everyone was hurting, so you assumed it was just part of the job
• Access issues: Getting to medical was difficult, especially in deployed or field environments
• Did not recognize the problem: Some conditions develop gradually, and you did not realize something was wrong until later

The VA understands this. Lack of service treatment records does not automatically disqualify your claim.

You Can Still File

Here is what you actually need for a successful VA claim:

1. A current diagnosis: You have the condition now
2. Evidence of an in-service event, injury, or onset:Something happened during service, or the condition started during service
3. A nexus (link): A medical opinion connecting your current condition to your service

Notice what is not on that list: service treatment records. They help, but they are not required. You can establish all three elements through other means.

The Power of Lay Evidence

"Lay evidence" is testimony from non-medical sources—you, your family, your friends, and your fellow service members. The VA is required by law to consider lay evidence, and it can be decisive in claims without medical documentation.

Your personal statement can establish:

• When your symptoms started
• What event or injury caused them
• That you have had continuous symptoms since service
• How the condition affects your daily life

For many conditions, you are competent to report your own symptoms. You know when your back started hurting. You know when you started having trouble sleeping. You know when the ringing in your ears began. This testimony has real evidentiary value.

Buddy Statements

Buddy statements (lay statements from others) are especially powerful when you lack medical records. They provide third-party corroboration of things the VA cannot find in your files.

Effective buddy statements can come from:

• Fellow service members: "I was there when he injured his knee during the field exercise in 2015"
• Spouse or partner: "He has complained of back pain ever since he came home from deployment in 2012"
• Family members: "I noticed a major change in her personality after she returned from Iraq"
• Friends: "He used to be outgoing, but since he got out of the military, he rarely leaves the house"

When medical records are missing, buddy statements become primary evidence rather than supporting evidence. Get as many as you can from people who can speak to specific observations.

Getting Diagnosed Now

If you were never diagnosed during service, you need a current diagnosis. Here are your options:

VA Healthcare

Enroll in VA healthcare and see a provider about your conditions. This creates medical documentation and can provide the diagnosis you need. VA medical records are automatically available to VA claims processors.

Private/Civilian Doctors

Your regular doctor or a specialist can diagnose your condition and provide records for your claim. If possible, ask for a written opinion about whether the condition could be related to your military service.

The C&P Exam

Here is what many veterans do not realize: for most conditions, you can be diagnosed at the Compensation & Pension (C&P) exam itself. The C&P examiner is a qualified medical professional who can:

• Examine you and diagnose your condition
• Provide a medical opinion on whether it is related to service
• Document the current severity of your symptoms

This means you can file a claim before you have a diagnosis, and the C&P exam can provide both the diagnosis and the nexus opinion.

Diagnosis at the C&P Exam

For many conditions, the C&P exam is all you need. The examiner can diagnose conditions like:

• Mental health conditions (PTSD, anxiety, depression)
• Musculoskeletal conditions (back, knee, shoulder problems)
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
• Headaches and migraines
• Skin conditions
• Respiratory conditions
• Most other conditions that can be evaluated through examination

The examiner will conduct a physical or psychological examination, review any evidence you have submitted, and provide a diagnosis and medical opinion.

Conditions That Need More

While most conditions can be diagnosed at the C&P exam, some require specific testing beforehand:

Other conditions that may need prior testing:

• Heart conditions: May need an EKG, echocardiogram, or stress test
• Certain respiratory conditions: May need pulmonary function tests
• Some neurological conditions: May need imaging or nerve conduction studies

For these conditions, it helps to get the diagnostic testing done before your C&P exam so the examiner has the results to work with.

Building Your Case

When you have limited medical records, focus on gathering strong alternative evidence:

1. Write a detailed personal statement: Describe what happened, when it happened, and how it has affected you since. Be specific about dates, locations, and units when possible.
2. Collect buddy statements: Identify people who can corroborate your account or describe your symptoms. The more specific and detailed, the better.
3. Gather service records: Even without medical records, your personnel records, deployment orders, and duty assignments can help establish where you were and what you were doing.
4. Get a current diagnosis: Whether through the VA, a private doctor, or the C&P exam, establish that you have the condition now.
5. Consider a nexus letter: A private medical opinion linking your condition to service can strengthen your claim, especially when service treatment records are missing.

How Valor Rating Can Help

When you are building a claim without medical records, organization and strong statements are critical. Valor Rating helps you:

• Write effective personal statements: Our guided questions help you include the details that matter and present your case clearly
• Gather buddy statements: Send invite links to supporters and guide them through writing statements that help your claim
• Identify what to claim: Our tools help you identify conditions you may not have realized are claimable
• Organize your evidence: Keep everything in one place so you are prepared when it is time to file

Do not let missing medical records stop you from filing. Many veterans win claims with lay evidence and a C&P exam diagnosis. Start building your case today.