Before You File · free for veterans
Close the reasons the VA denies your claim — before you file
The C&P examiner is a gatekeeper checking boxes. If your file leaves a known weakness unaddressed, the easiest path is a hedged or negative opinion. See exactly what to document — and what to ask your doctor — to take those doors away first.
Before You File
Nothing leaves your browserConditions with a denial-vector map
multi = this condition has other common causes the VA will weigh — worth ruling out before you file.
This describes the evidence VA examiners and raters evaluate against under 38 CFR Part 4 and M21-1. It is reference only — it never predicts an outcome, promises a rating, or tells you what to file, and you should never create evidence that doesn't reflect your true medical history. A VA-accredited representative provides free individualized guidance.
- The denial reasons, namedThe specific ways a C&P examiner denies each condition — obesity for sleep apnea, no workup for IBS — so you can close each door before the exam.
- Framed for your doctorEvery item is a concrete ask for your treating physician. Examiners defer to a treating provider's written findings far more than a 20-minute exam.
- Right evidence, right timeMultifactorial conditions need their alternative causes ruled out. We flag the foundational items worth documenting before you file, not after a denial.
Ready to build your claim?
Every document the claim needs, in one place.
Commander assembles the nexus letter, personal statement, and buddy statements around the exact evidence your claim needs — and files each one under the claim it supports, with its status in plain sight.
- Your statement and a buddy statement, drafted in your own words
- A medical opinion for your clinician to review — and, if they agree, sign
- Your uploads sorted by claim, ready to package
Your documents
Everything for each claim in one place — what we drafted and what you uploaded. 4 documents.
DC 6847
Ready to package
| File name | Category | Date | Size | Status | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your personal statement | Personal statement | — | — | Drafted | |
| Buddy statementSigned by SSgt. R. Delgado | Buddy statement | — | — | Signed by witness | |
| Nexus_Letter_Signed.pdfSigned by Dana Lee, MD | Medical opinion | Sep 12, 2026 | 402 KB | Signed | |
| Sleep_Study_2025.pdf | Your upload | Sep 2, 2026 | 1.2 MB | Uploaded |
Ready to build your claim?
Generate your full claim package
Commander assembles the nexus letter, personal statement, and buddy statements around the exact evidence your claim needs.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. VA Claim Commander is not a VSO, law firm, or accredited representative. For individualized guidance, a VA-accredited VSO provides free assistance — find one near you.
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