Kate Kovarovic is conducting a short, anonymous survey on how the VA disability claims process affects Veterans’ mental health and well-being. The survey takes about 15-30 minutes and will help inform a presentation for military psychologists on how advocates can better support Veterans throughout the claims process.

If you’ve gone through the VA disability claims process, please consider sharing your experience and encouraging fellow veterans to participate. The survey closes on October 23.

Take the survey here

On March 9, 1966, Command Sergeant Major Bennie Adkins walked into a firefight at A Shau Valley that would last 38 hours. He was wounded 18 times in that fight, yet he kept going back for the wounded, carrying them to safety under fire. When the camp was overrun, he led a small group of survivors into the jungle and spent another 48 hours evading capture until rescue finally came.

He received the Distinguished Service Cross, and for nearly five decades, that's where the story rested. Then, in 2014, at 80 years old, he stood at the White House as then-President Obama placed the Medal of Honor around his neck. He spent his later years helping other veterans through a scholarship foundation in his name. Adkins passed away in 2020 at 86, remembered as a soldier who refused to leave anyone behind.

Read Bennie Atkins’s full story at the Congressional Medal of Honor Society below.

Select any condition below, and we'll send a detailed information packet to your email, covering your diagnosis and how it may affect your VA claim.

The VA's Claims File, known as the C-file, is the complete record of your relationship with the VA. It holds:

That's not a summary. It's the actual evidence the VA used to determine the value of your disability.

Veterans who request their C-file often find records they forgot existed, exam notes that contradict their rating, or gaps that explain a denial. If you've ever wondered why the VA decided the way it did, the answer is in that folder. Learn what's inside and how to request it.

If your records were destroyed, you still have a path.

The 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis wiped out millions of veterans' records. The hardest hit:

If you've been told your file is incomplete or missing, that's not the end of the road. You can reconstruct lost records by submitting Standard Form 180 or NA Form 13055 to the NPRC. The VA is also required by law to help you get relevant records when you file a claim. Here's how to track down lost records.

No service treatment records doesn't mean no claim.

Most veterans don't know this: a missing treatment record is not a disqualifying fact. That holds whether your records burned in that fire, were never filed, or don't show something you kept quiet about to avoid a medical discharge.

Veterans have won service connection for PTSD, hearing loss, back injuries, and more with no service treatment records at all. The path runs through alternative evidence:

The condition doesn't disappear just because a file does. See how to build that case.

The one thing you can do today.

Send a written request to your regional VA office, or ask your VSO to request it for you. It can take months to arrive, but reading it is the single most clarifying thing you can do before your next claim or appeal. You may find evidence in your favor that no one ever acted on.

If you’re facing challenges with your claim and need assistance, reach out for a free case evaluation.

🗺️ TACTICS

A buddy statement might seem straightforward, but if it’s not written the right way, it won’t help your claim. This 11-minute video explains how these statements work in the VA system, what they should include to make a difference, and how a strong account from someone who served with you can provide evidence that forms alone can’t.

If your records are missing or the VA can’t confirm what happened, this video will show you how to get a statement that truly supports your claim. Be sure to watch it before you ask anyone to write one.

Were you prescribed Dupixent (dupilumab) and later diagnosed with Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma (CTCL)?

Recent studies have linked long-term Dupixent use to an increased risk of CTCL, a rare skin cancer. If you took Dupixent for at least one month and were diagnosed with CTCL—or a subtype like Mycosis fungoides or Sézary syndrome—after your first dose, you may be eligible to file a claim.

Find out if you qualify. The case review is free and confidential.

Act now. Contact us today at (855) 494-1298 to learn more about your options or to begin your claim. You’ve served your country; let us serve you.