The records to gather before you request an evaluation

For educational purposes only. Not medical treatment or legal advice.

The single most common reason a screening call ends without a scheduled evaluation is that the file, as sent, is incomplete. That is not a barrier: most claimants can pull together what is needed in a week. This is the list.

For a VA claim

• DD214. The certificate of release or discharge. If you have more than one period of service, gather each.
• Service treatment records. Available through the Records Management Center or by request.
• Prior VA decision letters. Include the most recent decision and any rating decisions that speak to the condition at issue.
• Post-service treatment records. Notes from the clinicians who have treated the condition, including primary care, mental health, and specialty care.
• Any C&P exam reports already in the file, if you have copies.

For an SSDI claim

• Prior determinations from the Social Security Administration, initial and reconsideration.
• Treatment records for the last two years at minimum, longer if the condition is long-standing.
• Work history summary, either the SSA-3369 or an equivalent list of the last fifteen years of work.
• Any prior consultative examination reports in the file.

What not to send

Do not send the public contact form medical details, images of prescriptions, or anything that identifies another person. Records upload happens through the HIPAA-compliant portal after the free screening.

Dr. Taylor English, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist and the founder of Provenance Evaluations. He trained at the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, Florida and at the Oklahoma City VA Health Care System.