A C&P exam (Compensation and Pension exam) is a medical evaluation the VA uses to assess the severity of your disability and determine whether it’s connected to your military service. It’s one of the most important steps in the VA disability claims process because the examiner’s findings directly influence your disability rating, which determines your monthly compensation. Not every claim requires one, but most do.
What the Exam Is For
When you file a VA disability claim, the VA needs medical evidence linking your condition to your time in service and documenting how severe it is. The C&P exam fills that role. An examiner reviews your medical history, asks questions about your symptoms and how they affect your daily life, and performs a physical or psychological evaluation depending on the condition.
The examiner fills out a standardized form called a Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) for each condition being evaluated. DBQs were designed to capture the specific medical data points the VA needs to process your claim. They include questions about range of motion, pain levels, frequency of symptoms, functional limitations, and other measurable criteria. The completed DBQ becomes a key piece of evidence in your claims file, and a VA rater uses it alongside your service records and other medical evidence to assign a disability percentage.
Who Performs the Exam
Your exam may be conducted at a VA medical facility or by a private medical contractor. The VA contracts with several outside companies to handle the volume of exams. If a contractor is assigned, you’ll typically receive a phone call or letter with your appointment details. The examiner is a licensed medical provider, but they are not your treating physician. Their job is to evaluate and document your condition for the VA’s rating decision, not to provide treatment or recommendations.
This distinction matters. The examiner may spend anywhere from 20 minutes to over an hour with you depending on the complexity of your claim, but their goal is assessment, not care. They’re looking at whether your condition meets the VA’s criteria for a specific rating level.
What Happens During the Exam
The specifics depend on what you’re claiming. For a musculoskeletal condition like a back or knee injury, expect range-of-motion testing, questions about flare-ups, and an assessment of how the condition limits your ability to work or perform daily tasks. The examiner will likely use a goniometer to measure joint angles and will note where pain begins during movement.
For mental health conditions like PTSD, depression, or anxiety, the exam is a clinical interview. The examiner will ask about your symptoms, their frequency, how they affect your relationships and work, and whether you’ve had any hospitalizations or crises. They’ll assess things like sleep disturbance, irritability, concentration problems, and social withdrawal. Be specific and honest about your worst days, not just your average ones. The examiner needs to understand the full range of how your condition affects you.
For conditions like hearing loss or tinnitus, expect audiological testing. For traumatic brain injuries, the evaluation may include cognitive screening. Each type of claim has its own DBQ with targeted questions, so the exam format is tailored to the condition.
How to Prepare
You don’t need to bring anything to the exam. However, if you have recent non-VA medical records, like documentation from a private doctor, a recent surgery, or an ER visit, submit them before your appointment. You can upload them through the VA’s online claim status tool, send them through your Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representative, or mail them to your nearest VA regional office. If you bring records to the exam itself, the examiner may look at them but cannot submit them into your file for you.
The most useful thing you can do beforehand is think through how your condition affects your daily life in concrete terms. Instead of saying “my back hurts,” be ready to explain that you can’t sit for more than 30 minutes, that you wake up three times a night from pain, or that you’ve missed 15 days of work in the past year because of flare-ups. Specifics give the examiner the detail they need to accurately document your limitations.
If you have a buddy statement from someone who has witnessed your symptoms, like a spouse who can describe your sleep disruptions or a coworker who has seen your limitations, submit that as supporting evidence with your claim before the exam.
What Happens If You Miss It
Missing a C&P exam can have serious consequences. For initial claims and increased rating claims, a no-show will likely result in a denial. If the VA scheduled the exam after proposing to reduce your current rating, skipping it means the VA will probably move forward with the reduction. If you know you can’t make your appointment, call 1-800-827-1000 as soon as possible to reschedule. The earlier you call, the better your chances of getting a new date without disrupting your claim.
The VA may deny your claim immediately after a missed exam, so treat the appointment as non-negotiable unless you have a genuine emergency preventing attendance.
After the Exam
The examiner sends their completed report and DBQ to the VA, where a rating specialist reviews it along with the rest of your evidence. You won’t get your results at the exam itself. The examiner can’t tell you what rating you’ll receive because that decision is made separately by the VA’s rating team.
Processing times vary, but most claims take several months after the exam before a decision is issued. You can check the status of your claim through your VA.gov account. If you want to review the actual exam notes, you can access your VA medical records through the My HealtheVet portal on VA.gov. You’ll need a verified account through ID.me or Login.gov. Once signed in, you can find, review, print, and download care summaries and notes from your records.
If you believe the examiner’s report was inaccurate or incomplete, you have options. You can submit a private DBQ completed by your own doctor as additional evidence, or you can request a new exam through the appeals process if your claim is denied or rated lower than expected. A VSO or accredited claims agent can help you evaluate the exam report and decide on next steps.