ORGANIZING YOUR VA DISABILITY CLAIM
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Organization is the bedrock of a winning claim. Rather than filing a scattered list of ailments, you must categorize each condition and understand the specific "story" you are telling with each condition.
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The Objective: Create a full list of every condition you intend to file for.
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How We Do It: Use a spreadsheet that is set up to capture information on your VA Claim. OR, Utilize the VA Disability Claims Condition (VDCC) Tracker—our proprietary spreadsheet designed to help you capture every nuance of your medical history in one centralized location.
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The "Why": A disorganized claim leads to overlooked evidence. When you can see your entire case at a glance, you eliminate blind spots.
FREE GIFT!
A Roadmap to What Matters
BUILDING YOUR VA DISABILITY CLAIM
Building a claim means more than just gathering papers; it means auditing your evidence against the legal requirements for service connection. Every condition must satisfy three specific criteria:
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Element 1: The VA must have evidence of an in-service event, injury, or illness that led to the current condition being filed for.
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Element 2: The VA must have evidence that the symptoms of the condition being filed for continued to disable the veteran even after they separated from active military service.
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Element 3: The VA must have evidence of a current medical diagnosis for the condition being filed for.
By building your claim around these three pillars, you save months—or years—of "denial time." This rigorous preparation also creates a stronger foundation for future secondary claims.
CREATING STATEMENTS FOR YOUR VA DISABILITY CLAIM
One of the most underutilized tools in a veteran’s arsenal is Lay Evidence. VA regulations explicitly state that lay statements are valuable evidence that must be considered alongside medical records.
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The Reality: Many veterans avoided the doctor while on active duty, and a lot of us continued that habit even after separation. While your medical file might be thin, your spouse, your battle buddies, or your coworkers witnessed your struggles and your pain.
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The Strategy: We help you "attack" the lay evidence. We provide the tools to refine witness testimony, transforming raw observations into "VA Rater-Friendly" statements that articulate the functional impact of your disabilities.
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The Goal: To bridge the gap between what is in your medical record and the daily reality of your lived experience.
