Requesting a Copy of Your VA Claims File
1st Infantry Division soldier holding puppy while sitting on M113 -Operation Buckskin 1966
Obtaining your VA Claims File (also referred to as your VA C-file) can be a critical piece of the puzzle in your battle with the VA for disability compensation and other benefits. Getting my own C-file was a game changer for me personally, which I’ll explain later.
What is a VA Claims File? Simply put, it’s a file which should include every record that the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) has ever had about you. This often includes:
-Service Treatment Records (STRs)
-VA medical records
-Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs)
-Compensation and Pension (C&P) examination reports
-VA rating and decision notices
-Internal VA communications about your claim(s)
-Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) records
-Your DD-214
-VA appeals
-VA forms
-Your VA Code Sheet (Not sure what this is and/or why it’s important? See our blog post here)
-Evidence you have submitted in support of your claims like nexus letters or buddy statements, and more.
Reviewing your C-file will allow you to identify missing records/evidence, identify VA errors or omissions, understand previous VA rating decisions, review results from past Compensation and Pension (C&P) exams, and possibly find evidence to strengthen a new claim or appeal.
25th Infantry Division medevac -Operation Lincoln 1966
It used to be that you could go to your local VA Regional Puzzle Palace (otherwise known as the VA Regional Office) and request a copy in-person. I tried this myself many years ago in an effort to obtain a copy of my own C-file. When I told the guy at the front desk why I was there, you would have thought I was asking for a copy of the US nuclear launch codes. There was much hushed whispering and some suspicious, furtive glances in my direction before someone from the back office emerged and pulled me out of the lobby and into a conference room.
We sat at a gigantic conference table, just the two of us, and he started to interrogate me as to why I wanted a copy of my C-file. It was most certainly NOT a friendly encounter. He was vicious about it. I was relatively green at this point in my dealings with the VA and was startled by his response and demeanor. I simply told him I wanted a copy because it was my file, but that didn’t seem to be a good enough reason. He flat out refused to give me a copy or help me obtain one. Eventually, after a lot of arguing, he agreed to give me a few of the documents from it that I was most interested in. I left there fuming, and went straight home to figure out an alternate method to get a copy of my C-file.
Back then the VA hadn’t yet created the VA Form 20-10206 for such requests, so I drafted an actual letter citing the appropriate law and the records I was requesting, and fired that sucker off. They were quick to respond to the request (there are, after all, rules about such things with FOIA/Privacy Act requests) but they took their time getting me my C-file.
So what did I find in my C-file when I finally got it? One of the major things was finding out that the VA had examined me for two conditions at my first C&P exam immediately after leaving the military, but they deferred the decision. I had always believed that the issues had been denied, but it turned out the VA had just never made a decision on it. I was able to subsequently get both conditions service-connected and a compensable rating for each. I also found vital pieces of evidence that helped me win other claims and appeals.
1st Cavalry Division soldiers ascending hill -Operation Thayer II 1967
To request a copy of your own C-file you can submit a completed and signed (must be a “wet” signature) VA Form 20-10206.
As of 2025 the VA no longer allows you to email the form to them. They offer 2 other ways to file:
Fax the completed and signed form to the Evidence Intake Center in Janesville, WI at (844) 531-7818.
Mail the completed and signed form to:
Department of Veterans Affairs
Evidence Intake Center
PO Box 4444
Janesville, WI 53547-4444
Some folks have reported that you can also submit the completed and signed form via the VA’s QuickSubmit Tool. Your mileage my vary.
On the VA Form 20-10206 it prompts you to indicate whether you will pay a fee for the records and how much. The VA likely will not charge you anything, but you can fill this out with $50 or so for peace of mind.
Turnaround times to actually receive a copy of you C-file from the VA can run anywhere from 10 weeks to 12 months (as of the date of this writing) depending on where your records are located, how extensive they are, and VA backlogs. The request should eventually show up as a new claim in your VA.gov account (if you have one) and you can monitor it there. This new “claim” is simply to track your request and will not cause anything in your file to be reviewed.
25th Infantry Division M48A3 Patton -Operation Lincoln 1966
Now keep in mind your VA C-file can be huge. It’s not uncommon for them to be a few thousand pages or more. Unless you specifically request a paper copy, the VA will send you your C-file in PDF format on a disc.
I should note that if you’ve never filed a claim with the VA, then you wouldn’t have an established C-file yet, so it would be pointless for you to request it. If you’re just getting started with your first VA claim, you’re better off gathering all of your service treatment records (STRs) and VA and private medical treatment records since you’ve left the military. Start sifting through those for evidence to support your claim. Never rely on the VA to find evidence on your behalf. Never.
As a VA Accredited Agent, one of the massive advantages I have over some other advocates is that I can remotely access the entire C-files of the Veterans I represent through VBMS (Veterans Benefits Management System). Many Veteran Service Officers (VSOs) don’t have this capability and are in many ways flying blind when it comes to helping Veterans with their claims because of that. It should be that every Veteran advocate has access to VBMS as this would be hugely beneficial to Veterans, but unfortunately the VA, in their infinite wisdom, does not allow it as of yet. Can’t imagine why….