When you apply for disability benefits, the VA will create a claims folder for you that contains all the information relating to your disability compensation claim. Commonly referred to as the "C-file," the folder contains paperwork you send to the VA, medical records the VA obtains on your behalf through its duty to assist, and administrative documents created by the VA.
Your C-file will get larger as your claim is developed. Depending on the extent of your medical treatment and the complexity of your case, the C-file can be hundreds or even thousands of pages long. If you have a lawyer handling your claim, they will do most of the work of sorting through your C-file for any missing or incorrect information.
Veterans who've been denied disability will want to get a copy of their C-file for help filing an appeal. You can request your C-file by submitting Form 3288, Request for and Consent to Release Information from Individual's Records, from the VA regional office where you initially submitted your claim for benefits.
If you go to your local office in person to submit your request, you can potentially view your "paper" C-file the same day. But if many months have gone by since you asked for your C-file and you still haven't received it, you may need to make a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request using Form 20-10206. You can also make a FOIA request online using the VA's Public Access Link (you'll need to register for an account first).
While there may be fees incurred when making a FOIA request, you can request a waiver for any fees greater than $25. The VA doesn't charge when the total cost of a FOIA request is less than $25.
In theory, yes. An accredited Veterans Service Organization (VSO) should be able to access the Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS), where they can get your C-file. But not all VSOs have full access to VBMS, and some that do may only be willing or able to provide you with part of your file. When searching for a VSO representative, ask them if they have complete access to VBMS and, if so, whether they can give you your entire C-file upon request.
When you receive your VA claims folder, don't be surprised if the documents are fairly disorganized, or if there are several copies of documents even though you only need one copy. The VA isn't known for its bureaucratic efficiency, so it can take a while to sort it out.
Below you'll find descriptions of the most common documents you might have in your folder if you've applied for VA benefits. If you've reviewed your C-file and found that any of these documents are missing, you (or your lawyer) will want to obtain them.
Also known as your military discharge papers, the DD-214 is an important document in your C-file. The DD-214 contains information about your character of service, which determines the types of benefits you're eligible to receive. Your DD-214 will also include your dates of service, specialties, awards, and other relevant information about your service term(s).
Your C-file should contain the application forms you submitted when you filed for benefits. For example, if you applied for VA disability compensation, your C-file should include your original Form 21-526EZ, Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits. These can be important if you didn't keep copies for yourself before you applied.
The bulk of your C-file will likely be your medical records. Your file should contain records from the VA Medical Center where you receive treatment, but the records could be missing or incomplete. If you find gaps in the medical part of your C-file, you can request your records directly from the VA Medical Center where you've been treated or access them online through the MyHealtheVet portal.
You may find copies of your service medical records in the file, such as your enlistment examination, if the VA requested these while gathering information to decide whether your disability was service-connected. The C-file should also contain the results of your compensation and pension (C&P) exam, where the VA doctor evaluated your disabling conditions and made a recommendation about whether they were caused by, or got worse from, your time on active duty.
Your file may also include copies of your active duty personnel records. This will include information about your duty stations and assignments, your medals and decorations, and your qualifications, licenses, and certificates.
Veterans who've been denied benefits should have a notice of the ratings decision in their C-file. The ratings decision is one of the most important documents in your file and is useful to review before you submit your appeal. The decision briefly discusses why your benefits were denied and what percentage ratings were assigned to any service-connected disabilities.
There should also be a code sheet accompanying the ratings decision. The code sheet contains important information related to the ratings decision, such as the specific diagnostic codes used to evaluate the disabling condition. The VA assigns disability percentages according to the Schedule of Rating Disabilities (38 CFR 4), which can be a complex manual. If your claim was evaluated using the wrong code, you'll want this corrected on appeal.
If you've already filed an appeal and that appeal was denied, you may have additional documents in your C-file. For example, veterans with legacy appeals claims may find the Notice of Disagreement you filed and a Statement of the Case document describing your ratings decision in detail. Or, if you had a hearing before the Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA), a transcript of the hearing should be included in the C-file.
Obtaining your C-file and reviewing all the documents in it to make sure the file is complete can be a time-consuming and frustrating process. While you aren't required to get a lawyer to help you with an appeal, it's often a smart idea, especially if you've already received a denial letter and need to appeal further. An accredited VSO representative or VA-certified disability lawyer can request your C-file, file timely appeals, and make sure that your VA code sheet and ratings accurately reflect your disabling conditions.
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