If you’re a veteran navigating a VA disability claim or appeal, you may have come across the term “C-file.” Your VA C-file contains many important records related to your claim. In this article, we explain what’s in a C-file, how it can help you build your appeals case, and how to request yours.
Key Takeaways
- A C-file is a collection of documents related to a veteran’s initial VA disability claim and any additional claims made thereafter.
- Woods & Woods uses a veteran’s C-file to review the claim history, find errors or gaps, and build an appeal strategy.
- Your legal representative can help you access your C-file or you can request it by submitting a FOIA request.
Our team is ready to help
In this article about the importance of your C-file:
What is a C-file?
A VA C-file, or claims file, is a collection of documents related to a veteran’s initial VA disability claim and any additional claims made thereafter. This file contains all the information the VA uses to evaluate and decide your claims, including medical records and past decisions. If you are applying for VA benefits for the first time, the VA will begin building your C-file as you submit documents and they gather information.
Over time, your C-file will grow and can sometimes contain thousands of pages. Typically, the longer your case has been pending, the longer your C-file will be. Some of the documents you might find in a C-file include:
- Military service records, including your DD-214
- Disability benefits questionnaires (DBQs)
- Completed VA forms and applications
- Buddy statements and lay statements
- Medical records
- Past rating decisions
- Appeals
- Denial letters
How your VA C-file can help build your case
Veterans often learn about their C-file through conversations with their VSO representative or accredited attorney, as these records play a key role in preparing an appeal.
Here’s how our attorneys at Woods & Woods interact with C-files:
1. Get the full record
When we take on a case, we request a veteran’s C-file from the VA to understand their claim history. As mentioned above, it contains all documentation tied to a veteran’s claims, including evidence, medical records, service records, statements, and past decisions. Anything related to a veteran’s current and past claims is included in their C-file.
2. Review the claim history
Our legal team reviews a veteran’s C-file to understand the VA’s reasoning, evidence used in past decisions, and how those decisions were made. This gives us a better understanding of how to move forward with the claim.
3. Spot gaps or errors
While reviewing the file, our legal team may find missing records or incorrect information that may have led to an unfavorable decision. That knowledge can help us understand what additional information or evidence we may need from the veteran to fill in the gaps in their claim.
4. Build a strategy
Our team uses the information in a veteran’s C-file to create a plan for the appeal. We focus on the parts of the case that need stronger support or better explanations.
“When Woods & Woods took over my VA claim everything changed from that moment on. They got the process moving in the right direction with their knowledge and experience in dealing with the VA. They kept me informed every step of the way and were very courteous and professional.”
F.P., Army veteran from Alabama
From a Google review for Woods & Woods
Accessing your C-file
There are a few ways you can access your C-file. Veterans working with a VSO or a VA disability attorney can ask their legal representative to help them retrieve their C-file. Alternatively, veterans can request their C‑file using VA Form 20‑10206, which is a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
VA Form 20-10206 allows veterans access to their personal compensation, pension, benefit, or military service records, including their C‑files.
Veterans can submit this form online through VA.gov or print and mail it to:
Department of Veterans Affairs
Evidence Intake Center
PO Box 4444
Janesville, WI 53547
How Woods & Woods can help
Our TDIU lawyers have helped thousands of veterans nationwide who can no longer work because of their service-connected conditions. Call us today for your free, confidential TDIU case evaluation. You won’t pay us unless we win your claim.
Don’t fight the VA alone
Frequently asked questions
A VA C-file is a collection of all the documents related to a veteran’s current and past disability claims. This file includes applications, medical records, decisions, and any other evidence submitted. Legal teams often review it when preparing appeals to understand what information the VA used to make decisions.
You can request your C-file by submitting VA Form 20-10206, which is a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. You can do this online or by mailing the form to the Department of Veterans Affairs Evidence Intake Center at PO Box 4444, Janesville, WI 53547.
Neil Woods
Neil Woods is a VA disability attorney and the owner and president of Woods & Woods. He received his law degree from Western Michigan University.
