The exams should be to what you’re asking for, what kind of compensation. If it’s the first claim to say that something is related to service, like a back claim saying, “I believe that my back was injured in service and that’s why I currently have this disability,” the question isn’t really so much the extent of this disability now; the question is whether it’s related or not.
But most of the C&P exams we see are for the rating to say, “Is this the proper rating?” The veteran goes and, as Carol said, hopefully they’ve called to see what kind it is, but we feel like there is more than just calling that should take place. Source: Hill and Ponton
Transcript:
Matthew: Hello, and welcome to the Hill & Ponton Veterans Video Blog. I’m Matthew Hill.
Carol: I’m Carol Ponton.
Matthew: Today we’d like to talk to you about C&P exams – more specifically, how you as a veteran should prepare for them.
When you get a notice in the mail for a C&P exam, it’s important to understand what it’s for. Unfortunately, a lot of times, they don’t send you that information.
Carol: But if you call the number, they will tell you exactly what it’s for and you should do that. That’s the number on the notice that you got for the exam.
Matthew: The exams should be to what you’re asking for, what kind of compensation. If it’s the first claim to say that something is related to service, like a back claim saying, “I believe that my back was injured in service and that’s why I currently have this disability,” the question isn’t really so much the extent of this disability now; the question is whether it’s related or not.
But most of the C&P exams we see are for the rating to say, “Is this the proper rating?” The veteran goes and, as Carol said, hopefully they’ve called to see what kind it is, but we feel like there is more than just calling that should take place.
Carol: You need to know how the VA rates people. What’s the point of the exam? What are they looking for?
For instance, backs. If you have horrible, limiting back pain, you wouldn’t think that your entire rating is based on how far you can bend before the pain stops you, but that’s it.
A lot of people go in and they’re talking about the pain and how it devastates them, but they bend too far and they get a zero or a 10%. You need to know what the VA is looking for.
That’s just backs.
They actually have what’s called DBQs. Those are a guide, an outline that the C&P examiners use when they’re figuring out how to evaluate you for your C&P exam.
Matthew: Yeah. DBQ is Disability Benefits Questionnaire. I will link to that in the blog notes on this.
Essentially, it is exactly how they rate you. There are a bunch of boxes that the examiner can check. It’s important that you have an opportunity to look over that before you go just so you can look and say, “Well, what of these applies to me.”
Clearly, all of it will not apply to you, and there might be some that do apply that you just don’t know because it’s a medical term. But the more knowledge you have before going in, the better.
Carol: Let’s go to the back again. Usually, most people can’t get more than a 40% rating for their back. Unless your back is fixed in one place so it really doesn’t move, that’s all you’re going to get.
Where you get the additional ratings is in the problems that the back causes. For instance, how about radiculopathy where you have that pain, that electrical feeling that goes down your leg, or you have numbness in your feet? What if you become incontinent?