Introduction

If you are filing a new claim there are several things you should do in no particular order. The info is designed with the idea that you will file this claim Pro Se( by yourself). The format won’t change if it is done with a VSO .

They have VA forms to submit your claim on but it is not written law that you do so. One guy hospitalized in a VAMC wrote his NOA on Kleenex. The Court accepted it. You need an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper , a pen, (no pencils) 10-12 months, and a boatload of patience. A pair of binoculars is useful to keep an eye on the mailbox.

The following link VA Abbreviations are included for your convenience.

Before you begin your claim you should have all of the following: a disease or injury (current diagnosis), medical proof of the same disease or injury in service (if possible) or a buddy statement from a fellow vet you served with, attesting to your exposure/risk factors, and most importantly, a doctor’s letter stating quite clearly that the disease/injury you are claiming was most likely incurred in service.

This is simply a preface. More will be said about these requirements later. There will be references to VA requirements as well.

It must be stressed that no two claims are alike. Yours must be tailored to your circumstances. Try to avoid sending them any evidence of a general nature that does not apply to you specifically. They only have so much file cabinet space. They also have a gazillion pictures of the jet guns. The BVA and the VARO will not consider BVA legal decisions as evidence in your claim so do not submit them. CAVC panel or en banc opinions, if they are pertinent, will be considered. Single judge rulings are not considered precedent setting and thus are as useless as BVA decisions.