Lay Letter…Lay Letter…LAY LETTER and Chronic Pain

“Denials” are a way of SOP with examiners and raters at the VA. They take the easy path. Meaning, they rarely, if ever, take the time to THOROUGHLY review the entirety of YOUR VA claims file that has been composed. Neither does the physician or examiner for your C&P exams…they’re too busy. I mean, have you SEEN the thickness of your file? Who could blame them…but, SOMEONE has to comb through it to discover what is needed to push ahead for you? That’s us.

It will NEVER happen overnight. With caseload increasing, and VA claim files, many exceeding 2,000 pages, we request AT LEAST two weeks to cover it. If we need more time, we need more time.

This is, for once, working to your advantage.

This is what you NEED to remember AND convey at ALL your C&P exams. (REMEMBER TO TAKE A WTNESS.)

The examiner NEEDS to KNOW what you experience ON A DAILY BASIS.

You need to experience on a daily basis, functional impairment…remember VA Pays you for your pain.

For example, you have back (shoulder, hand, arm, foot, leg, hip, etc.) pain…describe it…on a daily scale of 1 – 10…how does it affect your daily life?

If YOU do not make him or her listen to you, they will NOT put it in the examination report.

Spousal, buddy, colleague, friends, military buddies can ALL write letters as well attesting to them witnessing your daily issues with service-connected pain.