VA C&P Exam Preparation Checklist: Get Ready for Your Medical Evaluation

Your C&P exam is one of the most important events in your VA claim. A well-prepared presentation of your condition significantly increases the likelihood of a favorable rating decision.

Use this comprehensive checklist to prepare effectively for your exam.

Pre-Exam Timeline

2 Weeks Before Exam

Confirm your appointment:

• Call VA or contractor to confirm date/time/location
• Verify you have the appointment notice
• Write down examiner's name and location
• Plan your route and travel time
• Arrange transportation if needed

Gather medical documentation:

• Collect all recent medical records (within last 6 months)
• Request records from current doctors
• Get imaging reports (X-rays, MRI, CT scans)
• Collect test results (blood work, psychological tests, etc.)
• Print prescriptions showing current medications
• Get provider contact information for current doctors

Start symptom documentation:

• Create a symptom journal or pain diary
• Note date/time of symptoms
• Describe severity (0-10 scale)
• Note what activities trigger symptoms
• Note what relieves symptoms
• Track patterns (worse in morning? after activity? certain days?)

1 Week Before Exam

Complete medical history:

• Write down when condition started
• List all surgeries/hospitalizations with dates
• Document past treatments and their outcomes
• Note medication changes and side effects
• Write down any relevant family medical history
• Include any additional diagnoses beyond the claimed condition

Organize your records:

• Gather all recent medical records in chronological order
• Make 2 copies of key documents
• Create a summary sheet with:
  • Current medications (name, dose, frequency)
  • Current doctors/providers
  • Ongoing treatments
  • Recent test results
  • Current diagnoses

Prepare your functional limitations statement:

• List how condition affects your work:
  • Can you stand/sit/walk? For how long?
  • Can you lift? How much?
  • Can you concentrate? For how long?
  • Can you meet deadlines?
• List how condition affects daily activities:
  • Can you cook, clean, do laundry?
  • Can you drive?
  • Can you shop?
  • Can you care for yourself?
• List how condition affects relationships/social life:
  • Do you avoid certain situations?
  • Does condition affect your mood around others?
  • Have relationships changed?
• List how condition affects sleep:
  • How many hours do you sleep?
  • Do you wake frequently?
  • Does condition disrupt sleep?

3 Days Before Exam

Final preparation:

• Reread appointment notice (note location, time, what to bring)
• Plan outfit (loose-fitting, comfortable, easy to remove/replace)
• Arrange reliable transportation
• Plan to arrive 15 minutes early
• Prepare mental state (reduce anxiety)
• Get good sleep the night before

Prepare documents:

• Organize all medical records
• Print functional limitations statement
• Write key dates on a note card (service dates, injury date, diagnosis date, etc.)
• Prepare medication list (keep a copy for examiner if appropriate)
• Bring copy of appointment letter

Mental preparation:

• Review your condition and symptoms
• Practice describing your condition in a few sentences
• Anticipate likely questions and your answers
• Remind yourself to be honest but thorough
• Do something calming the night before (reduce anxiety)

Day-of-Exam Checklist

Morning of Exam

• Eat a light, healthy breakfast (blood sugar affects mental clarity)
• Take your regular medications as scheduled
• Shower/groom normally (appearance matters but don't overdo it)
• Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing
• Wear shoes you can easily remove if needed
• Avoid heavy makeup or cologne (examiners need to see you clearly)
• Get good sleep (avoid staying up late worrying)

What to Bring

Essential:

• Photo ID (driver's license or passport)
• Appointment notice from VA
• Insurance card (if applicable)
• Phone and charger

Highly recommended:

• List of current medications with dosages
• List of current doctors and their phone numbers
• Recent medical records (key documents only, not everything)
• Pain/symptom diary (if you've kept one)
• List of functional limitations (for your reference)
• List of key dates (surgery dates, diagnosis date, service dates)

Optional:

• Notepad to take notes
• Comfortable pillow if exam requires sitting/lying down
• Glasses/hearing aids if needed for exam

Travel Tips

• Leave 15-20 minutes earlier than necessary
• Plan for parking and building navigation
• Eat something light 2 hours before (not immediately before)
• Hydrate but don't overdo it (bathroom breaks during exam)
• Use bathroom before check-in
• Arrive 10-15 minutes early
• Turn off phone (or silent mode)

At the Exam Checklist

Check-In (5-10 minutes)

• Bring all required documents to check-in
• Verify spelling of your name and SSN
• Confirm you're seeing the right examiner
• Note any changes since you scheduled (new medications, new symptoms)
• Provide contact information updates if anything changed

During Exam (30-60+ minutes)

In the waiting room:

• Review your symptom notes one more time
• Clear your mind and reduce anxiety
• Remind yourself to be honest and specific
• Remember: This exam is in your favor if you're truly disabled

During physical examination:

• Move slowly and deliberately (if painful, show pain)
• Be honest about pain or discomfort
• Answer questions completely and in detail
• Ask clarification if you don't understand a question
• Don't hide pain or limitations—that's counterproductive
• Mention all relevant symptoms, not just major ones
• Describe impact on daily life and work

When describing your condition:

• Be specific: "I can stand for 15-20 minutes before pain becomes severe"
• Use numbers: pain level 7/10, can walk quarter mile, etc.
• Describe worst-day symptoms, not best-day
• Mention medications and side effects
• Discuss treatment attempts and outcomes
• Connect functional limitations to your condition

Key things to emphasize:

• How long you can sit/stand/walk without symptoms worsening
• How symptoms affect your ability to work
• Sleep disturbance and its impact
• Any cognitive effects (concentration, memory, decision-making)
• Frequency and severity of symptoms
• Impact on relationships and social functioning

Post-Exam Checklist

Immediately After Exam

• Thank the examiner
• Ask if any additional documentation is needed
• Ask about timeline for report
• Get exam location/facility name for records
• Note date and time of exam
• Write down examiner's name if you didn't get it

Within 1 Week After Exam

• Document exam experience while fresh:
  • Date and time of exam
  • Examiner's name and specialty
  • Facilities/locations
  • Which conditions were examined
  • Which symptoms were discussed
  • Any concerns about exam completeness
• Document any test results provided
• Keep appointment confirmation letter
• Mark calendar for expected rating decision (4-8 weeks)

Tracking Results

• Check VA.gov weekly for rating decision
• Sign up for VA.gov notifications
• Note expected timeline (3-6 months from claim filing)
• Have appeal options ready if needed
• Understand next steps if rating is lower than expected

Symptom Documentation Template

Use this template to document your condition before the exam:

CONDITION: [Name of condition]

WHEN DID IT START: [Date/event that triggered it]

CURRENT DIAGNOSIS: [What doctors have diagnosed]

PRIMARY SYMPTOMS:
- [Symptom 1 - frequency, severity, impact]
- [Symptom 2 - frequency, severity, impact]
- [Symptom 3 - frequency, severity, impact]

PAIN LEVEL: [Range, when worse, when better]

FUNCTIONAL LIMITATIONS:
- Work: [Specific limitations affecting employment]
- Daily life: [Limitations on activities]
- Social: [Impact on relationships and activities]
- Sleep: [How condition affects sleep]

CURRENT TREATMENT:
- Medications: [List with side effects]
- Therapy: [Type and frequency]
- Other treatment: [Surgery, PT, etc.]

MEDICAL EVIDENCE:
- Diagnoses: [List all relevant diagnoses]
- Test results: [Key findings]
- Provider opinions: [Relevant medical statements]

IMPACT ON WORK:
- Can you perform your former job? [Yes/No - why?]
- Can you perform any sedentary work? [Yes/No - why?]
- Can you work 40 hours/week? [Yes/No - why?]

Functional Limitations Talking Points

Practice describing these key functional limitations:

Physical:

• "I can stand for approximately [X] minutes before [symptom] becomes severe"
• "Lifting more than [X] pounds causes [symptom]"
• "I can walk approximately [X] distance before [symptom] develops"
• "My [body part] has limited range of motion, I cannot [specific movement]"

Mental Health:

• "I have difficulty concentrating for more than [X] minutes"
• "I become anxious in [specific situations], which lasts [X] amount of time"
• "I have nightmares [X] nights per week that disrupt my sleep"
• "Loud noises/crowded places trigger [symptom], making it impossible to work"

Cognitive:

• "I have memory problems, especially with [specific type]"
• "I struggle with decision-making and become paralyzed when [scenario]"
• "I get overwhelmed by too many tasks or instructions"

Sleep:

• "I sleep [X] hours per night due to [reason]"
• "I wake [X] times per night"
• "My condition prevents me from [sleep requirement]"

Red Flags to Avoid

❌ Don't say things that undermine your claim:

• "I can work if I need to" (suggests you're not disabled)
• "Some days are better than others" (examiner focuses on good days)
• "I can do most things" (emphasizes abilities over disabilities)
• "The pain isn't that bad" (minimizes severity)

❌ Don't contradict yourself:

• Don't describe pain as 7/10 then say you go hiking
• Don't claim immobility then stand comfortably
• Don't say condition is worse but also improved

✅ Do emphasize:

• Specific, measurable limitations
• How often symptoms occur
• When you're worst (usually when talking about your condition)
• Impact on ability to work and function
• Consistency of symptoms

Key Takeaways

✓ Preparation dramatically improves exam outcomes ✓ Document your condition with specific, measurable details ✓ Organize medical records before the exam ✓ Practice describing your functional limitations ✓ Bring key documents (medications, medical records, dates) ✓ Be honest and specific—don't minimize or exaggerate ✓ Arrive early, be professional, answer all questions ✓ Take notes immediately after about the exam experience ✓ Understand that results take 4-8 weeks ✓ Be ready to appeal if rating is lower than expected