Missing Records

Your VA claim is decided from your records, so if something isn't in them, VA can't count it. This plain-language guide shows you how to get every record that matters. You'll learn how to request your C-file the right way (a FOIA / Privacy Act request on VA Form 20-10206, through VA's online records page), what to ask for, what the law says about response times, and what to do when a request takes too long. It also covers military records, VA medical records, civilian records, lay and buddy statements, how to get symptoms written down, how to fix a wrong note, and VA's new health record. If your records were lost, burned in the 1973 fire, or never written down, you'll learn where else to look, how to prove what happened, and how to connect your condition to service without them.

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Download our free Evidence and Records guide (PDF). It's a printable version of this page with step-by-step instructions, sample request letters, real-life examples, a records request tracker, an evidence tracker, a contact log, a checklist, and links to the official sources.