Quick answer: A VA exam, also called a C&P (compensation and pension) exam, is a medical exam VA orders after you file a disability claim. An examiner documents your condition so VA can decide whether it is service connected and what rating it deserves. It is not treatment, and the examiner cannot tell you the results.

Updated October 7, 2026. Independent guide, not affiliated with VA. Not legal advice.

Why VA orders the exam

After you file, a VA claims processor reviews your file. If your service records and medical records already answer the key questions, VA uses the Acceptable Clinical Evidence (ACE) process and decides without any exam. If something is missing, VA orders a C&P exam to fill the gaps.

The exam exists to answer questions like these: Is there a current diagnosed condition? Is it connected to service? How severe is it right now? That severity answer drives your rating, and your rating drives your monthly compensation.

Who orders it and who does it

You cannot schedule a C&P exam yourself. VA starts the process: your local VA medical center or one of VA's exam contractors contacts you with a date and time, usually by letter, sometimes by phone or email. The big contractors you may hear from are Loyal Source, OptumServe, QTC, and VES.

The examiner will be either a VA provider or a contract provider. Contractors follow the same medical training and licensing standards as VA providers. Some exams happen in person at a VA medical center or contractor clinic; others are scheduled as telehealth phone or video appointments. Contractors try to schedule exams within about 50 miles of your home, and within about 100 miles for specialist exams like dental, eye, hearing, or mental health.

Think of the examiner as a fact gatherer, not your doctor. They document what they see and hear. They do not treat you, prescribe anything, or decide your claim.

What happens at the exam

Your exam can take 15 minutes or more than an hour, depending on how many conditions you claimed and how much more information VA needs. During the exam, the provider may:

• Ask questions from your claim file, often drawn from the Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) for each claimed condition.
• Do a basic physical exam, which may or may not include physical contact.
• Order tests like X-rays or blood work, at no cost to you.

If you claimed more than one condition, you may need more than one exam, and VA will try to schedule them on the same day. For some conditions, VA later orders review exams to check whether severity has changed.

How to prepare: the essentials

• Confirm the appointment. Call the number on your exam letter to confirm the place and time. Ask about help with transportation if you need it.
• Arrive 15 minutes early. If you are late, the provider may cancel the exam.
• Wear comfortable clothes so you can move freely during the physical portions.
• Write down your symptoms beforehand. Note what hurts, how often, how bad it gets, and how it limits your daily life and work. Memory goes blank under pressure, paper does not.
• Bring your current medication list. It gives the examiner a complete picture.
• Describe your worst days honestly. Veterans often minimize. The exam measures severity, so underplaying your symptoms can cost you a fair rating.
• Plan the logistics. Childcare, time off, a ride, and someone to wait with you if you want company.

After the exam: the report and what it means

The examiner writes a report, usually built around the DBQ for your condition, and sends it to VA. That report joins your medical records, test results, lay statements, and service records as the evidence VA weighs to decide your claim. The examiner's findings on severity map to the rating schedule, which is why honest, detailed answers during the exam matter so much.

You cannot get your results from the examiner or at the appointment. To read the final report, submit a Freedom of Information Act or Privacy Act request using VA Form 20-10206, either online, by mail to the Evidence Intake Center, or in person at a VA regional office. Your accredited representative, if you have one, can also help you review what the report says and whether it supports your claim.

Missing or rescheduling the exam

Treat your exam date like a court date. Missing it delays your claim, and VA may decide your claim on the existing evidence, which can work against you. If you must reschedule, tell the VA medical center or contractor at least 48 hours in advance, and know that rescheduling may push your decision back.

If you missed an exam for a good reason, such as a death in your immediate family, homelessness, hospitalization, or a terminal illness, VA can schedule a new appointment. You can explain what happened by calling VA, uploading a letter through the claim status tool, or mailing a letter to the Evidence Intake Center. Good cause is the phrase VA uses, and it matters.