VA Claims Information

STEP 2: GATHER RECORDS

The Medical is most important.
Nexus letters help establish service connection.
Buddy letters help provide information about the time the disability occurred.
 
• Medical


• Go back in your life as far as possible


• Call or write
• All doctors
• Medical institutions
• Therapy centers


• Request a copy of all records


• You will have to sign a request form to get them
 
• Nexus letters

A nexus letter connects your disability to a service connection. It is important to remember that it must be shown to connect in order for it to become a VA-rated disability.

Click on this link for more information on nexus letters: http://veteransinfo.tripod.com/nexus2.pdf
 
• Buddy letters

These letters can provide support to your medical information and nexus letters. They are eyewitness reports that can substantiate your claim about when a disability occurred.

On one veteran website (VBN) I found a decent description of what a buddy letter should entail written by a member known as Skinny Cat. It reads as follows:

"You as well as other soldiers that were in a combat zone together need to write letters describing his combat experiences and send them to him. Be sure to put names, dates, and locations and units in the statements.

To make them official documents they must say something at the bottom of the statements in the form of:

"I hereby certify that the information I have given is true to the best of my knowledge."

Each statement must be signed and the service number and address of the author included on each statements."