C & P Reports

Question:

How hard is it for me to get the doctor's opinion from my C&P exam?

 

Jim's Reply:

Many veterans want to see the results of their C & P exam and are frustrated when they can't access that paperwork. There are good reasons that you don't want or need to see that report.
 

The C & P exam doesn't produce a medical record and it won't be found in your VHA medical records. The C & P exam doesn't establish the doctor-patient relationship necessary for a medical record since there is no treatment offered and there is no whole body evaluation...the focus is entirely on your claimed condition and will be defined by the VBA rater who requested the exam.
 

The C & P exam is a part of the VBA process as your claim is adjudicated and you aren't allowed access to any of that as the VBA process is carried out.
 

Most veterans have second thoughts about all that occurred during the C & P exam and they want to see that report so they can object to anything they may think is wrong and get that corrected immediately!
 

Of course, that's a mistake. If you were allowed to see the report and try to correct any of the verbiage, the process would never complete...each time you would do that the process would start over and you would return to start.
 

What you must do is wait it out and if your claim is unfairly denied for any reason, then you must formally appeal that decision and then you get to see what is in the record that led to the denial. If you believe that the C & P exam report was wrong you can use that as the reason for your appeal and a new C & P examiner will do it again.
 

The VBA claims process is onerous and frustrating at best but we should always stick to the process and not deviate from how VBA wants it done. I often tell veterans that if that train leaves the track, it may be impossible to get it right again. 
 

Good luck sir.