The Playbook › Step 4 of 7: The C&P exam
A Compensation and Pension exam, or C&P exam, is a medical appointment VA orders to gather evidence for your claim. The examiner does not treat you and does not decide your claim. They record findings on a form, and a rater uses that form to decide whether your condition is service connected and what percentage it gets.
In many claims this exam is the most influential piece of evidence in the file. Twenty minutes can shape years of benefits.
The short version
- Go. Missing the C&P exam without good cause can sink the claim.
- The examiner may be a VA clinician or a contractor. Both count the same.
- Describe your condition as it really is, including your worst days and how often they come.
- Do not exaggerate, and do not minimize. Both hurt you.
- Afterward, get a copy of the report. If it is wrong, say so in writing right away.
On this page
Before the C&P exam
- Answer the phone. Scheduling calls often come from contractor numbers you will not recognize.
- Confirm the details. Date, time, address, and which conditions are being examined.
- Read the DBQ for your condition. It is the form the examiner will complete. See DBQs explained.
- Reread your own statement so that what you say matches what you wrote.
- Make notes. List your symptoms, how often they happen, how long they last, and what they stop you from doing.
- Bring photo ID, your notes, any brace or assistive device you use, and new medical records VA has not seen.
- Do not skip your usual routine in a way that misrepresents your condition, but do not push through pain to look tough either.
If you cannot make it, call the number on your appointment letter as early as possible and reschedule.
During the C&P exam
Tell the truth, completely
Veterans are trained to say “I’m fine.” At a C&P exam that habit costs money. If the examiner asks how you are doing, answer about the condition, not about your mood today.
Describe bad days and say how often they happen
An honest answer sounds like this: “Most days the pain is a 4. About six days a month it is an 8 and I cannot stand for more than ten minutes.” That gives the examiner frequency and severity, which is what the rating criteria are built on.
Talk about flare-ups and function
For joints and the spine, the examiner must consider pain, fatigue, weakness, and flare-ups, not just how far you can bend in the office. Say where the pain starts during movement. Explain what you cannot do during a flare-up.
Stop when it hurts
During range of motion testing, stop where pain begins. Do not force the movement further to be cooperative. The measurement is supposed to reflect where pain limits you.
Explain the effect on work
Missed days, accommodations, jobs you left, tasks you avoid. The examiner is asked about functional impact.
For mental health exams
Expect questions about sleep, mood, relationships, work, substance use, and thoughts of self-harm. Answer honestly. These exams are often by video. See PTSD ratings.
Things that hurt veterans at exams
- Saying “I’m fine” or “it’s not that bad”
- Describing only today
- Exaggerating. Examiners note inconsistencies, and the note follows your file.
- Getting angry at the examiner
- Not mentioning symptoms because nobody asked. If it is relevant, bring it up.
Your rights
- You can reschedule if you have good cause.
- You can request travel reimbursement for the trip.
- For exams related to military sexual trauma, you can ask for an examiner of a particular gender.
- You are entitled to a copy of the C&P exam report.
- You can bring someone with you, though the examiner decides whether they can sit in.
After the C&P exam
- Write down what happened the same day: how long it lasted, what was asked, what was measured, anything that seemed off.
- Get the report. Ask your VSO to pull it, check your VA medical records online for VA-performed exams, or request your C-file.
- Compare it to your notes.
If the exam was inadequate
An exam can be challenged if the examiner:
- Did not review your file
- Spent a few minutes and skipped required testing
- Recorded your history incorrectly
- Gave an opinion with no reasoning
- Ignored favorable evidence such as a private nexus letter
What to do:
- Before a decision: send VA a written statement describing the problems and ask for a new exam. Call 800-827-1000 to report it as well.
- After a decision: use a Supplemental Claim with new evidence, such as a private DBQ or medical opinion, or a Higher-Level Review arguing the C&P exam was inadequate. See what to do after a denial.
A note on ACE exams
Sometimes VA decides it has enough in your records and the examiner completes the form without seeing you. This is called an Acceptable Clinical Evidence exam. You may get a phone call instead of an appointment. It is legitimate, so take the call.
Free printable checklist. Everything to gather before you file, what to bring to your C&P exam, and what to check in your decision, on two pages.
Last reviewed October 2026. This guide is general educational information, not legal or medical advice, and this site is not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Rules and rates change. Confirm details on VA.gov or with an accredited representative. See our disclaimer and editorial policy.