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Example of a VA Statement in Support of Claim

Last Updated Date: Oct 17 2023 By Rich Frankel

If you served in the United States military, then you may be entitled to certain benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ( VA ). This may include disability benefits for those vets who suffered a service-connected disability. If you qualify for VA disability benefits, then you will receive monetary compensation based on your level of disability.

Many veterans are able to make a successful claim for VA disability benefits based on the strength of their military and medical records alone. For most vets, however, the best way to provide a complete picture of their disability claim is to include a Statement in Support of Claim. By writing a relatively brief narrative, you can get the VA a better idea of your current symptoms, how it is connected to your military service, and how it affects your life.

Although the VA does not allow veterans to be represented by counsel for their initial disability claim application, our law firm is dedicated to helping service members achieve the best possible outcome for their disability claims. Below, we outline our best tips for writing a VA disability statement and offer a disability statement example.

Table of Contents

What Is a VA Statement in Support of Claim?

When you are applying for veteran’s disability benefits, you will need to submit a number of forms and documentation to support the claim. In many cases, a claim for VA benefits will be approved on the basis of your military records, medical records, and other evidence. 

There may be situations where the VA needs additional evidence to evaluate your application for disability compensation. That is where VA Form 21-4138 , or Statement in Support of Claim comes into play. Also known as a buddy statement or buddy letter, it is most often written by someone that you served with while in the armed forces. 

However, anyone who has firsthand knowledge of your service-connected disability can write a statement in support of claim, including you (the applicant). It is often a good idea to submit a Statement in Support of Claim to the VA so that you can better explain how your disability is related to your military service, and how it affects your life. 

Statement in Support of Claim Template

What Do You Need to Fill Out the Claim Form?

When you file Form 21-4138, you will need to provide certain information to the VA. This includes:

• Your social security number
• Your service number
• Your VA file number (printed on any communication from the VA)
• Your date of birth
• Your contact information

All of this information must be filled out at the top of the form so that the VA can properly identify you and ensure that the statement goes to your file.

The main section of the form consists of a space for you or a buddy to write a narrative about your service-connected disability. This is where you (or a buddy) will have an opportunity to explain more about your current symptoms, how your disability is linked to your military service, and the ways in which your disability affects your life.

Recommendations for How to Complete VA Form 21-4138

When evaluating a claim, a VA rater often has to go through mountains of evidence, from service records to claim forms to service treatment records to private treatment records. When you are writing your VA disability statement, try to keep it concise. A VA rater probably won’t want to read more than 3 to 5 paragraphs, so you should aim to limit it to that length.

Your Statement in Support of Claim should contain four sections:

• Name of the current disability that you are claiming (note that you can write a different VA disability statement for each condition);
• When your disability began and why it is connected to your service;
• The current symptoms of your disability, including the frequency, duration, and severity; and
• How the disability negatively impacts your life.

For example, a veteran was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder ( PTSD ) after being discharged from military service. A disability letter example for him is as follows:

• DC 9411, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Due to Combat Deployment to Afghanistan.
• I was deployed to Afghanistan from April 2009 to March 2011. I helped to carry out counter-insurgency operations across the country. My role there was to ride ahead of conveys, searching for roadside bombs. During my time, I witnessed many of my fellow service members be killed in gruesome ways, and I saw scores of dead bodies. I feared for my life every day of my deployment and had trouble sleeping. During my deployment, my symptoms of anxiety and depression started.
• I was diagnosed with PTSD in 2012 after being discharged from the Army. I still suffer from symptoms of PTSD, including nightmares, flashbacks, severe emotional distress, feelings of hopelessness, lack of interest in activities, difficulty sleeping, self-destructive behavior, memory problems, severe anger, paranoia, and feeling detached from loved ones. I was referred to a VA Mental Health Clinic and undergo therapy and take medication for my PTSD. Despite this treatment, my PTSD symptoms continue.
• My PTSD has negatively affected my work and my personal life significantly. I got divorced from my wife and lost custody of my children. I was fired after I could not concentrate on my job and took too many days off due to my depression. I also was doing a bad job at work because of my memory issues. I have been unable to maintain relationships with friends, coworkers, and family members due to my anger issues. I have been diagnosed with depression and anxiety, and have panic attacks. The medication that I take to help these issues hasn’t relieved my symptoms.

This sample VA Statement in Support of Claim is just one example of what a person may write in support of their claim for disability benefits. Based on your current disability (or disabilities), your letter might look slightly different. For example, if you suffer from sleep apnea that is related to your service, then you would talk more about how this disability is linked to a service event and how it affects your life.

There are also times when you will want to use this form to establish chronicity or other important facts related to your claim (perhaps how you were injured or your impairment began while you were in the military). 

If your disability has not already been service-connected, then you will want to provide a nexus between your military service and the disability. This should be done in the second section, in just a sentence or two. For example, if you suffer from a herniated disc in your back, then you may state that your job duties in the military required repetitive lifting and that your symptoms started while you were in the military or shortly after discharge.

Finally, it is important to give at least two specific, concrete examples of how your disability has affected your life. Rather than saying something general, like “my back injury causes a lot of pain,” try to give an example of how your current symptoms affect your daily life. You might say something like “Because of my herniated disc, I can’t sit or stand for an extended period of time, which makes it hard to hold a job or even to take long car rides. I also cannot lift anything above 10 pounds, which has made it difficult to perform basic household tasks like getting groceries and doing laundry.”

Filing for Veterans Disability? We Can Help.

A disability can make it hard to hold down a job or even manage your personal life. If your disability is linked to your military service, then you may be entitled to disability benefits from the VA. A Statement in Support of Claim can be used to bolster your claim for service connection.

At Bross & Frankel, we are proud to advocate for the men and women who have served our country. We represent veterans in all types of matters, including filing a disability claim. To learn more or to schedule a free consultation with a New Jersey veterans’ disability lawyer , give our law firm a call at 856-795-08002 or fill out our online contact form .

Rich Frankel is the managing partner of Bross & Frankel . He is a member of the New Jersey and Pennsylvania bars. He has focused exclusively on disability and social security benefits since 2005.

Mr. Frankel joined what is now Bross & Frankel after having watched his father struggle with disability, fighting a lengthy illness. Mr. Frankel founded the firm’s veteran’s law practice and substantially grew the social security disability practice , focusing Bross & Frankel’s ability to fight for all of the disability benefits available to his clients.

Mr. Frankel additionally fights for clients in court, obtaining frequent victories in Social Security appeals and against insurance companies in Federal court.

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P ersonal Statement

Writing a personal statement.

A VA Statement in Support of a Claim is a 3-5 paragraph written narrative that details the facts and circumstances of an individual VA disability condition. Personal statements can be very powerful in filling in any gaps between your military service and the present day, including things like service treatment records, doctor visits for treatment (or lack thereof), the severity of your symptoms over time, and how your VA disability is negatively affecting your work, life, and social functioning. You should write a statement for each condition.​

How to write your statement:

List the Name of the VA Disability You're Claiming in the narrative portion of either a VBA Form 20-10210 or VA Form 21-4138

Explain the Approximate Timeframe Your VA Disability Began Along with Why It Should Be Service Connected (or Why Your VA Rating Should Be Increased for Conditions Already Service Connected)

List the Current Symptoms of Your VA Disability in Terms of Frequency, Severity, and Duration Over Time

Explain How the VA Disability Negatively Impacts your Work, Life, and Social Functioning (Use a Couple Examples).

This is YOUR INPUT directly to the VA Rater without the filter of a VA examiner who may see you for only 15 minutes during a Compensation & pension exam (C&P exam).

Helpful Hints

Mention specific symptoms that your condition may cause or contribute to. Rather than saying, "I have depression," consider talking about precisely how your condition affects you, such as: "I struggle to get out of bed in the morning." Or "I don't like going to public places or being in large crowds." Think about the statement as a way to paint a picture of your daily struggles.

If you claim a Knee disability based on a fall during service, you will want to describe all the circumstances surrounding the fall in as much detail as you remember. It may be challenging to remember the facts many years later.

Do you remember what you or anyone around you said? Describe what you remember immediately before and immediately after the fall. Any details like that help your statement come to life and make it more convincing to the reader.

If you're requesting increased benefits (higher rating), then focus on how your VA disability has worsened over the years. It's essential to write about how your VA disability is impacting your day-to-day life and your ability to work; adding as many details as possible can strengthen the statement and help you achieve your goal of obtaining increased benefits.

The Value of a Personal Statement f rom A VA Rater

As a rater for the VA I have noticed some mistakes that vets make and listened to many talk about how they forgot to tell the C&P doctor something about their conditions. I have also talked to so many veterans who don’t seem to remember aspects of their conditions unless I ask specific questions, and you can’t guarantee the C&P doctor will probe as deeply to bring out what needs to be said. So I am recommending veterans complete a personal statement for each and every condition. So if you are filing for 13 conditions you will have a statement for each condition. I am sure some will worry this will be a lot of paper and bog things down. As a rater I appreciate organization and having a concise statement for each condition. It makes it easier to understand the whole picture and if you are on the borderline of say a 30 and a 50 percent the statement gives me evidence to support going higher instead of lower.

So here is what you should have in your statement. First of all list how you obtained the condition, so for example in May 1980 while in the field I was jumping out of a deuce and half and when I landed my ankle rolled to the side and I felt a sharp pop and sharper pain. Well I rubbed some dirt on it and went back to work. Three days later my ankle gave out while walking up steps. In 1984, I was playing basketball and when I came down from a dunk my ankle hurt like crazy. When I went to the ER they diagnosed me with severe ankle sprain with tendonitis. That gives a clearer view than saying I hurt my ankle.

Next you want to explain that you have had issues with your ankle ever since you got out. List the day and month of other times you have hurt or gone to see a doctor due to the pain. Then you will want to have a recent visit and diagnosis within about 6 months of your filing the claim. You will want notes or letters from current doctor in order to document what you statement says. And you will want a current diagnosis, such as Severe Ankle Strain with Tendonitis and Degenerative Joint Disease.

Thirdly you want to write about how this affects you. So you want to tell them you can’t wear heals anymore, can’t jump for basketball, running is out and let the doctor and the rater know just how this condition changes your lifestyle. Things like I used to ride motocross and now I can’t stand on the pegs and if I try I end up wrecking. I have trouble walking my dog for anything over a short distance. I have to wear a brace most of the time or else my ankle rolls, I have to soak my ankle daily and take pills to ease the pain, and at times the pain in my ankle disturbs my sleep.

This will help all understand just how your condition is and the impact on your life. This is the same if it is for a sprained ankle, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, hearing loss, shoulder impingement, or how the scars on your face affect your view of yourself.

It is imperative you have a statement for the conditions with gray areas such as the mental conditions like Anxiety, PTSD and so one. For these pretend you lose your voice and this statement has to speak for you to the C&P doc and the rater. You write this statement and have a copy for you that you take to the C&P exam, a copy for the C&P doctor and one for the VA. Start with listing your stressor and as much info you can provide, such as who saw the incident, what any of the buddy statement writers say about your symptoms and what symptoms you have. For example, “I usually have three to four panic attacks a week. During these panic attacks my heart races, I am sweating with a fan blowing on me, my chest is tight and hurts, my head aches, my vision gets blurry and I feel like running away.” And you can also cover how it impacts you such as lack of friendship, not being able to make meaningful relationships, being a loner at work, have bouts of anger and irritability for unexplainable reasons.

If you think about some of the symptoms, people under great stress have memory and cognitive issues because the stress changes the chemical make up in your brain. Having the personal statement will allow you to remember and cover ALL symptoms in the C&P exam. Also with having handed him a copy there is no reason why he/she shouldn’t put it in the exam report. Plus having given it to the doc you can then go get a copy of the C&P exam and if it is not there file a complaint with the patient advocate. Remember it is a tool to help you so you need to create a strong accurate one..

Much as I would like to take credit for coming up with this I have to give credit to a vet who sent me his claim and had statements for each of his 43 conditions he was claiming. With his statements I could scan and find the important parts I need to make a decision. I could also cut and paste the symptoms into my rating narrative and justification for higher disability ratings. Since it was very organized and thorough I was able to complete my rating in about half the time, and yet had strong support for giving him a higher rating for his PTSD. His statement was also instrumental in the doctors being able to separate his PTSD from his TBI symptoms.

Bottom line is the more work you do up front the better your chances in getting what you have earned.

EXAMPLE OF A PERSONAL STATEMENT

ON A VBA Form 20-10210 or VA Form 21-4138

Personal Statement Format

Name: John Doe

Social: XXX-XX-XXXX

Contact Info: Address XXXXXXXXXX

Phone: (XXX)XXX-XXXX

e-mail: [email protected]

Condition Facts: Detailed information concerning how you got the condition. Was there an exposure that resulted in a disease (ie asbestos developing into mesothelioma. Note exposure is not in itself compensable unless a condition develops into a condition.) What is the accident or injury (ie broke/sprained knee on obstacle course) leading to current diagnosis. What is the stressor for your mental condition (ie combat, personal trauma such as witnessing a serious accident or military sexual trauma. The more detailed information such as date and time of the incident the better.

Treatment in Service: As closely as possible document what treatment you received for the condition. Such as follows: Fort Jackson SC – Emergency Room visit 4 Jun 2001 – Knee trauma from playing flag football. Twisted knee in pile up. Put in a cast.

Pope AFB – Treated by Dr. Welby for knee giving out. Given therapy and Ibuprofen.

Norfolk NAS _ Treated by Dr. Kildare for knee swelling. Took xrays and provided with Percocet. Given profile from exercise for 6 weeks.

Treatment out of service: Again documenting the type treatment your received and as accurate a detail as possible.

Hope Medical Center – Boston – Dr. Strange did ex-rays and assigned me to therapy (List dates of Therapy)

Johnson and Johnson Orthopedics – Dr. Smith performed knee replacement surgery 9 Aug 2003. Put on 8 weeks therapy.

Johnson and Johnson Orthopedics – Dr. Smith Follow up to surgery. Given handicap paperwork for handicap sticker.

The same can be done for all other conditions. Just list the treatments and dates.

Symptoms: Download the DBQ for the specific condition and go through the questions. Your list of symptoms should be taken off the DBQ and answer the questions. So for a knee you would list what you experience. Things such as follows: My symptoms are sharp pains when I bend my knee (on a 1 to 10 it’s a 7). Climbing up and down steps causes pain. At times my knee gives out and I have fallen. I can only move me knee so far. My doctor says I have arthritis and when it is cold my knee aches.

Note for mental conditions it is imperative you include all of the symptoms. If you only have five or six symptoms listed but actually have more you experience then it is likely you won’t get what you are entitled. The need to list any and ALL symptoms is imperative. Also providing a word description its equally imperative. A sample of how to list symptoms is as follows: One of my symptoms is memory loss – I have trouble remembering important dates and events. I have forgotten birthdays and anniversaries. If I don’t write down an appointment or put it in my phone then I will forget it. I have forgotten the names of friends I used to hang out with.

Another symptom is panic attacks – I have panic attacks more than twice a week. When I am having a panic attack my chest hurts, my heart is racing, I sweat even if I have a fan blowing on me, my vision gets blurry, my stomach hurts and I get diarrhea.

How the Symptoms affect your social and economic lifestyle: And finally you have to let the rater and C&P examiner know how this affects your life. This is the part that is not covered by a DBQ but is important for you case since that is why you are compensated, because it affects your life in other areas.

For example, “my lack of trust for people and being suspicious of their actions makes it hard for me to make friends and I have family members I no longer speak to.” Another example, “my anger makes it hard for me to work for certain people. I find it hard to work with these people and have had several fights at work.”

The more detailed and specific you are in the statement the clearer it will be to the rater.

Personal Statement (Statement in Support of Claim)

Are your military records missing evidence or context?

If so, the VA provides you with two options:

Personal statements ; and

Buddy letters .

Personal statements are for when you yourself want to write a statement in support of your own claim. This can include:

Pointing out where important evidence is in your records (page X of document named XX shows a diagnosis of Q);

Tying all your evidence together, so it makes more sense;

Explaining the progression of your symptoms over time;

Detailing how your conditions' severity affects your life, work, social life, etc;

Explaining the details of an event that occurred during your service.

However, if you know someone who can attest to something you were a part of, witness to, changes in your behavior, and/or the severity of your symptoms then having them write a buddy letter can be a useful piece of evidence for your claim.

Click  HERE  to learn more about buddy letters.

Writing Tips

Use the proper VA forms!

The VA has THREE different forms for personal statements.

Statement in Support of Claim  VA Form 21-4138  - Your general use form. Basically, if you want to point things out in your records, to help ensure the rater does not miss anything. Or, you want to add some context/detail to your evidence that may otherwise not be known.

Supporting statements for service connection for  PTSD   VA Form 21-0781

Supporting statements for service connection for  PTSD  that is a result of a personal trauma (such as military sexual trauma)  VA Form 21-0781a

Keep it brief and to the point, remember BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front). The rater doesn't have time to get lost in a great story about the time Pvt. Reddit sneaked his girlfriend into the barracks in his rucksack. (But the people at  r/Veterans  do.)

Quantify (state numbers) when possible. Which sounds better?:

My headaches are so severe I have to lay down for most of the day. These headaches occur fairly frequently; OR

My headaches are so severe I have to lay down for most of the day. These headaches occur at least three times a week.

Unless you are a licensed physician in the relevant area of medicine, you should NOT try to diagnosis yourself! Remember, stick to the facts! But if do have a buddy who does just so happen to be a licensed physician in the relevant area of medicine. Have them complete a  Disability Benefit Questionnaires (DBQs)  and/or an  Independent Medical Opinion (IMO)/Nexus Letter  and include it with your claim.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

If you for whatever reason do not want to use the VA form, ensure you write "I CERTIFY THAT I have completed this statement and that its information is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief." Directly above where you sign and date the letter, in addition to providing your contact information.

What Should be in the Letter

It depends on the your purpose you are trying to accomplish:

Help prove service connection:

Details about the in-service event that caused the injury or illness.

How you were impacted by the event. Any changes in physical/mental health?

Help prove severity of your disability:

What are your current symptoms? How do your disabilit(ies) interfere with your job, social life, things you can no longer do, etc.

Example 1 (Tying Evidence Together)

What follows is a summary of back condition during and after service:

Around late January, 2003 I started having back pain after I slipped on some ice and landed on my back. This event was witnessed by Sgt. Buddy and his witness statement has been recorded on the provided  VA Form 21-10210  uploaded as Sgt_Buddy_Statement.pdf.

On March 3rd, 2003 I was seen at the Fox medical center at Fort Place for back pain. I was given a diagnosis of back strain.

On May 7th, 2004 I was seen at the Troop medical place at Camp Reddit for back pain. I was given a diagnosis of back strain again.

My back pain continued even after I separated in June 2004.

On September 4th, 2005 I was seen at the Back Clinic Place by Dr. Spine. Dr. Spine had an MRI scan of my spine preformed and identified several bulging discs in my lower spine. Dr. Spine's report has been uploaded as SpineReport2005.pdf. In the event the VA requires additional medical evidence from Dr. Spine. I have included a completed and signed  VA Form 21-4142  uploaded as Spine21-4142.pdf.

From 2006 to now, I have received all my medical care through the State Place VAMC.

On September 1st, 2021 my primary care provider Dr. PCP completed a Back (Thoracolumbar Spine) Conditions  Disability Benefits Questionnaire . It has been uploaded as BackDBQ.pdf.

The idea is to paint a picture that the rater and examiner can follow. This is especially helpful if you have a lot of records and it may be difficult to pull specific pieces of evidence out.

Example 2 (Details of an Event)

Sometime around April 2006 while serving with the 4ABC in Iraq, my unit was conducting a convoy operation in X Province. During the operation the lead vehicle was...

In order to help the VA locate and verify your statements of an event, it is important to be as specific as possible. The more details you provide that address the "when, where, and what" the better.

Example 3 (Headache Log)

I regularly experience severe prostrating headaches that require me to take time off of work. What follows is a headache diary from the past two months:

October 2018

Additional Comments

Prostrating

​ Came in late to work 4 hours late.

Called off 2 days of work.

Called off 1 day of work.

Left work 4 hours early.

November 2018 ...

On a  VA Form 21-10210  uploaded as Work_Statement.pdf. Is a statement from my current employer that testifies to the amount of days (11) I have missed over the past two months.

Example 4 (Symptom Manifestation)

I separated from the Navy on July 5th, 1996. During my enlistment I was deployed to Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm. Around 2002 I started having sinus issues, seemingly for no reason. I started taking over-the-counter medication for my sinus issue for several years which helped somewhat.

It wasn't until 2004 that I brought the issue up to my doctor that I was first diagnosed with  Sinusitis . Unfortunately, their office closed and I am unable to get those medical records.

Due to money issues, I went without health insurance for awhile. It wasn't until 2009 that I got  Health care  through the VA that I was again diagnosed with chronic sinusitis.

So since 2002 to now I have had continuous sinus issues.

Example 4 (Symptom Manifestation - National Guard/Reserve)

I joined the Army National Guard in 2010. My MOS was cannon crewmember (artillery). I had no  Hearing issues  or  Ringing in my ears  till after my NTC rotation of 2012. During this rotation, I spent the better part of a week continually being surrounded by loud noises. Since that NTC rotation, I have noticed hearing issues as well as a continuous ringing in my ears which has not stopped since.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

To GREATLY assist your claim, submit any relevant orders sending you to NTC or other training activities.

How do I upload the form to my claim, if I have already submitted it?

You can upload evidence via this  LINK .

Related Articles

Buddy Letter

Disability Benefit Questionnaires (DBQs)

Independent Medical Opinion (IMO)/Nexus Letter

February 5, 2019

Statement to Support Your Claim – PTSD

Last updated on December 22, 2022

I hope you enjoy reading this blog post.

If you want to learn how to implement these strategies to get the VA benefits you deserve, click here to speak with a VA claim expert for free.

Most Veterans don’t realize how important or valuable a statement to support your claim is for their success. If you’re like me, and just fired off your claim the first time without any supporting documentation, then you are setting yourself up for failure. You are not establishing a point of reference for your VA Rater to work with.

Here’s a crucial step for you to file a winning claim for PTSD.

Starting information

The VA Form 21-0781 is the standard form for filing a claim for PTSD. The form asks for vital information to establish your service-connected PTSD through the means of a timeline. The form asks for specific details surrounding your claim. Besides the standard personal information about the filer, it asks:

• Unit Assignment during the incident
• Location of said incident
• Description of the incident
• Any medals or citations that may have been awarded 
• Any person who may have lost their lives during the incident

Any of these things could be used when establishing your connection to the event. You will have to enter this information twice because filing for PTSD in eBenefits you have to attach at stressor incident. I believe the VA is just looking for consistency in your involvement of the event.

Experience with Statement in Support of claims

When I was establishing my PTSD claim, I had some particular points that I pointed out about when and where I was during a certain point of my naval career. For example, I was stationed in a E-2C Hawkeye squadron that was attached to the USS George Washington. We, the GW, were called to action during September 11 th , 2001 and I was asked to leave my home without notice and flown aboard the George Washington. The events surrounding that day and many others as I progressed in my naval career caused me some serious mental health issues. These issues were diagnosed as PTSD.

I knew I had issues about what I had experienced, but I didn’t know the first thing to do. I filed a claim that was immediately denied because I lacked the proper evidence. Once I had a medical diagnosis from Board Certified Psychologist and the help of my Veteran Coaches I was ready to give this one another go.     

Through the Elite program at VA Claims Insider, I was able to achieve a rating of 50% PTSD, from previously being rated at 0% PTSD. I am currently in the process of increasing my rating because I feel that I am still underrated for my PTSD.

Make sure you are doing filling out your statement to support your claim for every one of stressors! If you have any questions, please seek the advice of a Veterans Coach!

Overall, by including a Statement in Support of Claim you can give the VA a fuller picture to your experience in service and have another chance to tell your story. This can be a vital asset to your claim, and help to get you the compensation you deserve!

Terrell Murrell is apart of VA Claims Insider Team and a retired Navy Disabled Veteran. You can contact him at  [email protected]

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VA Claims Insider is an education-based coaching/consulting company. We’re here for disabled veterans exploring eligibility for increased VA disability benefits and who wish to learn more about that process. We also connect veterans with independent medical professionals in our referral network for medical examinations, disability evaluations, and credible independent medical opinions and nexus statements (medical nexus letters) for a wide range of disability conditions.

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T he Veterans Benefits and

  Disability Claims Guide

Message From A VA Rater: The Value of a Personal Statement with your VA Disability Claim!

A message from a va rater.

This is a letter from an individual who rates VA benefits on the daily. If you really want to maximize the benefits you believe you rate, here is great guidance straight from the horse’s mouth!

As a rater for the VA I have noticed some mistakes that vets make and listened to many talk about how they forgot to tell the C&P doctor something about their conditions. I have also talked to so many veterans who don’t seem to remember aspects of their conditions unless I ask specific questions, and you can’t guarantee the C&P doctor will probe as deeply to bring out what needs to be said .

So, I am recommending veterans complete a personal statement for each and every condition.

If you are filing for 13 conditions you will have a statement for each condition .

I am sure some will worry this will be a lot of paper and bog things down. As a rater I appreciate organization and having a concise statement for each condition. It makes it easier to understand the whole picture and if you are on the borderline of say a 30 and a 50 percent the statement gives me evidence to support going higher instead of lower. So here is what you should have in your statement. First of all, list how you obtained the condition.

For example:  In May 1980 while in the field I was jumping out of a deuce and half and when I landed my ankle rolled to the side and I felt a sharp pop and sharper pain. Well I rubbed some dirt on it and went back to work. Three days later my ankle gave out while walking up steps. In 1984, I was playing basketball and when I came down from a dunk my ankle hurt like crazy. When I went to the ER, they diagnosed me with severe ankle sprain with tendonitis.  That gives a clearer view than saying “I hurt my ankle”.

Next you want to explain that you have had issues with your ankle ever since you got out. List the day and month of other times you have hurt or gone to see a doctor due to the pain. Then you will want to have a recent visit and diagnosis within about 6 months of your filing the claim. You will want notes or letters from current doctor in order to document what you statement says. And you will want a current diagnosis, such as Severe Ankle Strain with Tendonitis and Degenerative Joint Disease.

Thirdly you want to write about how this affects you. So, you want to tell them you can’t wear heels anymore, can’t jump for basketball, running is out and let the doctor and the rater know just how this condition changes your lifestyle. Things like I used to ride motocross and now I can’t stand on the pegs and if I try, I end up wrecking. I have trouble walking my dog for anything over a short distance. I have to wear a brace most of the time or else my ankle rolls, I have to soak my ankle daily and take pills to ease the pain, and at times the pain in my ankle disturbs my sleep.

This will help all understand just how your condition is and  the impact on your life . This is the same if it is for a sprained ankle, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, hearing loss, shoulder impingement, or how the scars on your face affect your view of yourself.

It is imperative you have a statement for the conditions with gray areas such as the mental conditions like Anxiety, PTSD and so on. For these, pretend you lose your voice and this statement has to speak for you to the C&P doc and the rater.

You write this statement and have a copy for you that you take to the C&P exam, a copy for the C&P doctor and one for the VA. Do not assume that something you hand to a C&P examiner will actually get to the VA Rater!

Start with listing your stressor and as much info you can provide, such as who saw the incident, what any of the buddy statement writers say about your symptoms and what symptoms you have.

For example,  “I usually have three to four panic attacks a week. During these panic attacks my heart races, I am sweating with a fan blowing on me, my chest is tight and hurts, my head aches, my vision gets blurry and I feel like running away.” And you can also cover how it impacts you such as lack of friendship, not being able to make meaningful relationships, being a loner at work, have bouts of anger and irritability for unexplainable reasons.

If you think about some of the symptoms, people under great stress have memory and cognitive issues because the stress changes the chemical make up in your brain.

Having the personal statement will allow you to remember and cover ALL symptoms in the C&P exam. Also, with having handed him a copy there is no reason why he/she shouldn’t put it in the exam report.

Plus, having given it to the doc you can then go get a copy of the C&P exam and if it is not there, file a complaint with the patient advocate. Remember it is a tool to help you so you need to create a strong accurate one.

Much as I would like to take credit for coming up with this, I have to give credit to a vet who sent me his claim and had statements for each of his 43 conditions he was claiming. With his statements I could scan and find the important parts I need to make a decision. I could also cut and paste the symptoms into my rating narrative and justification for higher disability ratings. Since it was very organized and thorough, I was able to complete my rating in about half the time, and yet had strong support for giving him a higher rating for his PTSD. His statement was also instrumental in the doctors being able to separate his PTSD from his TBI symptoms.

Bottom line is the more work you do up front, the better your chances in getting what you have earned.

Christopher Edwards

Personal Statement Example

Name:  John Doe Social:  XXX-XX-XXXX Contact Info:  Address XXXXXXXXXX Phone:  (XXX)XXX-XXXX e-mail: [email protected]

Condition Facts: Detailed information concerning how you got the condition.

Was there an exposure that resulted in a disease (i.e. asbestos developing into mesothelioma)? (Note exposure is not in itself compensable unless a condition develops into a condition.)

What is the accident or injury (i.e. broke/sprained knee on obstacle course) leading to current diagnosis?

What is the stressor for your mental condition (i.e. combat, personal trauma such as witnessing a serious accident or military sexual trauma?

The more detailed information such as date and time of the incident the better.

Treatment in Service: As closely as possible document what treatment you received for the condition. Such as follows:

Fort Jackson SC – Emergency Room visit 4 Jun 2001 – Knee trauma from playing flag football. Twisted knee in pile up. Put in a cast.

Pope AFB – Treated by Dr. Welby for knee giving out. Given therapy and Ibuprofen.

Norfolk NAS _ Treated by Dr. Kildare for knee swelling. Took x-rays and provided with Percocet. Given profile from exercise for 6 weeks.

Treatment out of service: Again, documenting the type treatment your received and as accurate a detail as possible.

Hope Medical Center – Boston – Dr. Strange did ex-rays and assigned me to therapy (List dates of Therapy)

Johnson and Johnson Orthopedics – Dr. Smith performed knee replacement surgery 9 Aug 2003. Put on 8 weeks therapy.

Johnson and Johnson Orthopedics – Dr. Smith Follow up to surgery. Given handicap paperwork for handicap sticker.

The same can be done for all other conditions. Just list the treatments and dates.

Symptoms: Download the DBQ for the specific condition and go through the questions. Your list of symptoms should be taken off the DBQ and answer the questions. So for a knee you would list what you experience. Things such as follows:

My symptoms are sharp pains when I bend my knee (on a 1 to 10 it’s a 7). Climbing up and down steps causes pain. At times my knee gives out and I have fallen. I can only move me knee so far. My doctor says I have arthritis and when it is cold my knee aches.

Note for mental conditions it is imperative you include all of the symptoms. If you only have five or six symptoms listed but actually have more you experience then it is likely you won’t get what you are entitled. The need to list any and ALL symptoms is imperative. Also providing a word description its equally imperative. A sample of how to list symptoms is as follows:

One of my symptoms is memory loss – I have trouble remembering important dates and events. I have forgotten birthdays and anniversaries. If I don’t write down an appointment or put it in my phone then I will forget it. I have forgotten the names of friends I used to hang out with.

Another symptom is panic attacks – I have panic attacks more than twice a week. When I am having a panic attack my chest hurts, my heart is racing, I sweat even if I have a fan blowing on me, my vision gets blurry, my stomach hurts and I get diarrhea.

How the Symptoms affect your social and economic lifestyle: And finally, you have to let the rater and C&P examiner know how this affects your life. This is the part that is not covered by a DBQ but is important for you case since that is why you are compensated, because it affects your life in other areas. For example,  “my lack of trust for people and being suspicious of their actions makes it hard for me to make friends and I have family members I no longer speak to.”

Another example , “my anger makes it hard for me to work for certain people. I find it hard to work with these people and have had several fights at work.”

The more detailed and specific you are in the statement the clearer it will be to the rater.

SIGN AND DATE

This statement can be on a VA Form 21-4138 HERE:  https://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-21-4138-ARE.pdf

This can be in letter format. Sign and date and place at the bottom this statement:

“I CERTIFY THAT the statements on this form are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.”

Written by Mr. Christopher Edwards, VA Rater

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Benedictine College nuns denounce Harrison Butker's speech at their school

John Helton

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker speaks to the media during NFL football Super Bowl 58 opening night on Feb. 5, 2024, in Las Vegas. Butker railed against Pride month along with President Biden's leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and his stance on abortion during a commencement address at Benedictine College last weekend. Charlie Riedel/AP hide caption

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker speaks to the media during NFL football Super Bowl 58 opening night on Feb. 5, 2024, in Las Vegas. Butker railed against Pride month along with President Biden's leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and his stance on abortion during a commencement address at Benedictine College last weekend.

An order of nuns affiliated with Benedictine College rejected Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison's Butker's comments in a commencement speech there last weekend that stirred up a culture war skirmish.

"The sisters of Mount St. Scholastica do not believe that Harrison Butker's comments in his 2024 Benedictine College commencement address represent the Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts college that our founders envisioned and in which we have been so invested," the nuns wrote in a statement posted on Facebook .

In his 20-minute address , Butker denounced abortion rights, Pride Month, COVID-19 lockdowns and "the tyranny of diversity, equity and inclusion" at the Catholic liberal arts college in Atchison, Kan.

He also told women in the audience to embrace the "vocation" of homemaker.

"I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you. How many of you are sitting here now about to cross the stage, and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you're going to get in your career?" he asked. "Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world. But I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world."

For many Missouri Catholics, abortion rights means choosing between faith, politics

That was one of the themes that the sisters of Mount St. Scholastica took issue with.

"Instead of promoting unity in our church, our nation, and the world, his comments seem to have fostered division," they wrote. "One of our concerns was the assertion that being a homemaker is the highest calling for a woman. We sisters have dedicated our lives to God and God's people, including the many women whom we have taught and influenced during the past 160 years. These women have made a tremendous difference in the world in their roles as wives and mothers and through their God-given gifts in leadership, scholarship, and their careers."

The Benedictine sisters of Mount St. Scholastica founded a school for girls in Atchinson in the 1860s. It merged with St. Benedict's College in 1971 to form Benedictine College.

Neither Butker nor the Chiefs have commented on the controversy. An online petition calling for the Chiefs to release the kicker had nearly 215,000 signatures as of Sunday morning.

6 in 10 U.S. Catholics are in favor of abortion rights, Pew Research report finds

The NFL, for its part, has distanced itself from Butker's remarks.

"Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity," Jonathan Beane, the NFL's senior VP and chief diversity and inclusion officer told NPR on Thursday. "His views are not those of the NFL as an organization."

Meanwhile, Butker's No. 7 jersey is one of the league's top-sellers , rivaling those of better-known teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.

Butker has been open about his faith. The 28-year-old father of two told the Eternal Word Television Network in 2019 that he grew up Catholic but practiced less in high school and college before rediscovering his belief later in life.

His comments have gotten some support from football fan social media accounts and Christian and conservative media personalities .

A video of his speech posted on Benedictine College's YouTube channel has 1.5 million views.

Rachel Treisman contributed to this story.

• Harrison Butker
• benedictine college