Build Your Evidence Portfolio
Assemble evidence establishing a current disability or functional impairment, an in-service disease, injury, or event, and a relationship between the two when required for the claimed theory of service connection.
Build Your Evidence Portfolio
Grounded in Title 38 U.S.C. §§ 5103, 5103A and 38 CFR §§ 3.159, 3.303. Claims are not evaluated under a single one-size-fits-all formula. Explore the service connection theory that matches your claim to assemble the exact documentation required.
Five Evidence Categories to Review
RatingScope groups common evidence into these categories to make claim preparation easier to understand.
Service Treatment Records (STRs)
Military medical, dental, and sick call records documenting in-service injury or onset. Request via eVetRecs or Standard Form 180.
Clinical Records & Impairment
Medical documentation showing current symptoms or limitations. Under Saunders v. Wilkie, functional loss can constitute a disability even without a formal diagnosis.
Nexus Opinions & Letters
A qualified medical opinion addressing whether a disability is related to military service, often evaluating whether service connection is at least as likely as not under direct service connection principles (38 CFR § 3.303).
Personal & Buddy Statements
Competent lay evidence on VA Forms 21-4138 and 21-10210 describing observable events, daily limitations, and symptom progression (Buchanan v. Nicholson).
Disability Benefits Questionnaires
Public DBQ forms available from VA show the exact objective measurements and clinical criteria examiners record under 38 CFR Part 4.
Executive Evidence Summary
Generate a structured claims binder summary to attach to VA Form 21-526EZ or share with your accredited VSO.
Research Diagnostic Criteria in our 113-Condition Knowledge Base
Every disability evaluated under 38 CFR Part 4 has specific diagnostic thresholds, measurement requirements, and DBQ rating criteria.
Comprehensive Evidence Category Taxonomy
Review the 9 formal evidence categories recognized under Title 38 CFR in our Claim Lifecycle Reference.
Evidence Gathering Action Checklist
Track your progress assembling records. Checklist selections below are educational and remain ephemeral in your browser tab. They are not saved to persistent storage.
Request your military medical, dental, and mental health records documenting in-service injuries, clinic visits, or sick call entries.
Provide evidence that a disabling condition or functional impairment currently exists. A formal medical diagnosis provides strong documentation, though functional impairment may also be established under Saunders v. Wilkie.
Provide a qualified medical opinion or clinical documentation showing your current condition is at least as likely as not related to your military service.
Submit a personal statement (VA Form 21-4138) and statements from fellow service members or family (VA Form 21-10210) describing functional impairment.
Examine the specific VA DBQ form used by medical examiners to evaluate your condition against Title 38 CFR Part 4 rating criteria.
Official Federal Evidence Resources
Non-Decisional Educational Analysis
This roadmap provides educational analysis based on published Title 38 CFR regulations. RatingScope does not adjudicate claims, assign disability ratings, or guarantee benefits. Official disability ratings and decisions are determined exclusively by the Department of Veterans Affairs.