About the VA Claims Field Guide

The VA Claims Field Guide was created by a veteran with extensive experience in Veterans Disability Claims who knows firsthand how confusing the VA claims process can be.

The VA disability claims process is intended to be non-adversarial. A veteran should not feel like the first step in filing a claim is hiring someone to fight the VA or paying someone a percentage of their benefits. In many cases, a veteran simply needs to understand the process better, get organized, gather the right evidence, and know what to expect.

That is why we believe in working with an accredited Veterans Service Officer. VSOs help veterans file claims at no cost, and a good VSO can be an important resource throughout the process.

The VA Claims Field Guide is not meant to replace your VSO. We would rather help you become better prepared to work with one.

There is a big difference between walking into a VSO's office with a stack of records and saying, "I don't know what I can claim," and walking in knowing what conditions you want to claim, what happened during service, what evidence you have, what evidence may be missing, and what questions you need answered.

The better prepared you are, the more effectively you and your VSO can use your time together.

Unfortunately, the complexity of the VA claims process has also created a market for companies that charge veterans significant fees for claims assistance. Some are unaccredited businesses commonly referred to as claim sharks. In some cases, an accredited attorney or claims agent may be appropriate, particularly for a complicated claim or appeal. The point is not that a veteran should never pay for representation. The point is that you should understand the process and your options before deciding that you need to.

We want veterans to know that there may be another way.

Learn enough about the process to understand your own claim. Get your records and evidence organized. Know what to expect from a C&P examination. Learn how to read a VA decision. Then use the accredited resources available to you to decide whether you need additional help.

You do not need to become an expert in VA claims. You just need to be prepared enough to take an active role in your own claim.

That is what the VA Claims Field Guide is here to help you do.

VA Claims Field Guide is a private educational publisher. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. We do not prepare, present, or prosecute claims for VA benefits and we are not a substitute for a VA-accredited representative, whose services are free. Nothing here is legal or medical advice, and no outcome is guaranteed.

In crisis? Call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat at VeteransCrisisLine.net. 24/7, no enrollment required.

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