C&P Exam Informational Sheetfor Veterans – Rocket Benefits

What a C&P Exam Is (And Why It Matters)

A Compensation & Pension (C&P) exam is a VA-ordered evaluation used to help decide your claim. It is not a medical treatment appointment.

The examiner’s report can affect:
• Whether a condition is found service-connected
• The percentage (rating) assigned
• Whether a condition is considered improved, worsened, or unchanged

What the VA is Trying to Answer

At your exam, the VA may be evaluating:

Diagnosis

The condition or illness identified based on your symptoms and evaluation

Service Connection

Whether it is related to service (or secondary to another condition)

Severity

How serious or intense your symptoms are right now and overall

Functional Impact

How your symptoms affect your ability to work and manage daily life.

Consistency

Whether your history and symptoms match the record

Scheduling, Rescheduling, and Missed Exams

• You will typically be contacted to schedule your exam.

• Do not miss your exam. Missing it can delay your claim, and the VA may decide your claim based only on existing evidence.

• If you miss an exam for “good cause,” the VA may reschedule (examples include hospitalization or a death in your immediate family).

If you need to reschedule: contact the scheduling company and notify Rocket Benefits right away.

How to Prepare (Quick Checklist)

Before the exam:

Know what you are trying to prove in the exam

Do you need to focus on establishing a Service Connection for your condition, or do you need an increase in your current disability rating?

Symptoms & Daily Impact

Write down your main symptoms and how they affect your day-to-day life and daily activities every single day.

Be ready to explain

When symptoms started (or worsened), how often symptoms happen, what triggers flare-ups, what you can no longer do, or can only do with difficulty

What to Bring

A government ID and any assistive devices you use (brace, cane, hearing aids, etc.)

Young African American soldier communicating over cell phone while surfing the net on laptop at home.

What to Do During the Exam

• Be honest and complete. Do not exaggerate. Do not minimize.

• Describe your symptoms using real-life examples (work, driving, sleep, chores, relationships).

• Be specific: Frequency determines your rating. Don’t just say ‘often’ or ‘sometimes.’ The examiner needs specifics: ‘Once per month, ‘Three times per week,’ ’10-15 episodes per year.’ Keep a symptom log for 30 days before your exam if possible.

• If you have flare-ups, explain:
What a flare-up looks like
How often it happens
How long it lasts
What you cannot do during a flare-up

• If something hurts or causes symptoms, say so. Range of Motion is measured to the point where pain STOPS you — not where you can force yourself to go.

• Mental Health Exams: Be ready to discuss sleep, panic/anxiety, mood, memory/concentration, irritability or anger, isolation, and how symptoms affect work and relationship.

What Not To Do

• Do not guess. If you do not know, say “I’m not sure.”

• Do not assume documents you show the examiner will be added to your claim automatically. Send evidence to Rocket Benefits so it is submitted correctly.

• Many veterans unknowingly lower their ratings by “pushing through” during ROM testing because that’s what you were trained to do “Be Tough”, “Push Through”, “Suck it up Buttercup.” That mindset LOSES claims. The VA isn’t rating for courage – they’re rating for severity and frequency.

• Do not miss the appointment without contacting anyone.

After the Exam (Important)

As soon as you can, write down:

• Date, time, and location
• Approximate length of the exam
• What the examiner asked
• Any tests performed

Then send Rocket Benefits a brief summary on the same day or the next day.