VA C&P Exam: What to Expect and How to Prepare

🖊️ Written by a veteran and founder of HadIt.com, where we’ve been helping each other navigate the VA system since 1997. This guide reflects my own experience, what I’ve learned from others, and what I wish someone had told me before my first VA C&P exam.

What Is a VA C&P Exam?

Heads up: This isn’t a treatment appointment. The examiner isn’t there to help you—they’re there to document, report, and send that to the VA. And that report can outweigh years of regular treatment notes.

The VA Compensation & Pension (VA C&P) exam is used to:

Confirm your diagnosis
Determine if the condition is service-connected
Evaluate how severe it is for your rating

“I had to tell my story to a stranger—maybe even more than I’d ever told it to myself.”

What to Expect During the VA C&P Exam

Most exams follow this structure:

Questions about your symptoms
A brief physical or mental evaluation
A few questions about how your condition affects your daily life

💬 “Don’t fall into the trap of minimizing because you’re used to surviving. The VA needs to know how it really affects you—not how you make it look better than it is.”

VA C&P exams aren’t just a formality—they’re often the most influential part of your disability claim.

Quick Tip

👉 Do’s and Don’ts of VA C&P Exams – This is the article I wish someone had handed me before my first VA C&P exam.

How to Prepare

✅ Review your records: Know what’s already documented in your file and where the gaps are. If something’s missing, you may need to say it out loud at the exam.

A VA C&P exam isn’t just a formality—it’s often the most influential part of your disability claim.

🟠 Track your symptoms: Keep a simple journal or notes app record of how often things happen, what triggers them, and how they impact your life.

Be ready to talk about your worst days—even if you’re having a good day when the exam happens.

Special Tips for Mental Health VA C&P Exams

💔 Say the hard stuff: If you’re having panic attacks, suicidal thoughts, rage, memory problems, or dissociation—you have to say it out loud. It matters.

Don’t hold back because it feels uncomfortable. This is your moment to make the invisible visible.

After the VA C&P Exam

Request a copy of the examiner’s report through VA.gov or from your VSO so you can review it for accuracy.
Review it for mistakes or omissions
If needed, appeal or submit an IMO (Independent Medical Opinion)

Resources

Theresa "Tbird" Aldrich

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