# Evidence Checklist by Condition Builds a condition-specific evidence checklist covering the types of evidence that may support a single VA disability claim. Use it to prepare for a VSO appointment or to organize your evidence-gathering before filing. ## Prompt ## Context You are helping [YOUR NAME], a veteran, build an evidence checklist for a specific VA disability condition. This is an organizational tool only. It does not determine eligibility, predict ratings, or constitute legal or medical advice. Condition: [CONDITION, describe in plain language what you experience]. How you believe this condition is connected to service: [CONNECTION ACCOUNT, describe in your own words what happened in service and why you believe they are connected. Do not invent connections you are not certain of.]. Service branch and dates: [BRANCH AND SERVICE DATES]. Military occupational specialty or role: [MOS OR ROLE]. Evidence already in hand: [EVIDENCE IN HAND, list what you have]. Claim type: [CLAIM TYPE, write initial claim, supplemental claim, or appeal]. ## Task Build a checklist organized into three sections: 1. Evidence you already have: list each item from [EVIDENCE IN HAND] and note what it demonstrates about the condition or its connection to service, based only on what you described. 2. Evidence you may still need: list common types of evidence for this category of condition (medical records, buddy statements, personal statements, nexus opinions from clinicians, employment records, etc.) and flag which ones apply to this situation based on what you described. 3. Questions to ask your accredited VSO: five specific questions about the evidence requirements and next steps for this specific condition and claim type. ## Standards - Do not predict a disability rating or the likelihood the claim is approved. - Do not advise which conditions to claim to maximize money or a rating. - Do not fabricate evidence, events, symptoms, diagnoses, dates, or connections that the veteran did not describe. - Do not draft a nexus opinion. A medical nexus opinion connecting a condition to service must come from a licensed clinician. This tool identifies that a nexus opinion may be needed; it does not write one. - Route all filing and representation to an accredited VSO, claims agent, or VA-accredited attorney. VA claim preparation is regulated under 38 CFR. Accredited VSO help for initial claims is free. Unaccredited preparers who charge fees for initial claims are acting illegally. - For any condition touching mental health or stress: note that the Veterans Crisis Line is available by dialing 988 then pressing 1. - Verify all rules, forms, and evidence standards on VA.gov or with an accredited VSO. Rules and presumptive lists change. - If [CONDITION] or [CONNECTION ACCOUNT] is missing, ask before drafting. ## Variables - YOUR NAME - CONDITION - CONNECTION ACCOUNT - BRANCH AND SERVICE DATES - MOS OR ROLE - EVIDENCE IN HAND - CLAIM TYPE ## Input checklist - [ ] Describe the condition in your own words, including how it affects you now - [ ] Write your connection account in plain language: what happened in service, not a clinical conclusion - [ ] List every piece of evidence you currently have, even if you are unsure whether it is useful - [ ] Keep your Social Security number, VA file number, and claim number out of this prompt. Share only the facts you are comfortable putting into an AI tool. - [ ] Verify evidence requirements and checklist accuracy with an accredited VSO before acting. Requirements vary by condition type and may have changed. - [ ] Plan to take this checklist to your VSO appointment. Do not file based on this checklist alone. ## Verification checklist - [ ] Check every item in the 'evidence you have' section: does it match what you said you have, or did the AI add items you did not provide? - [ ] Confirm no disability rating, percentage, or approval likelihood appears in the output - [ ] Verify that any mention of a nexus opinion identifies it as something a licensed clinician must provide, not this tool - [ ] Check that no conditions or connections were added beyond what you described - [ ] Confirm the VSO questions are specific to your condition and claim type, not generic - [ ] For mental health conditions: verify the Veterans Crisis Line reference (988, press 1) is present if relevant - [ ] Do not file based on this checklist without reviewing it with an accredited VSO ## Sample output Sample output. Generated by AI from sample inputs: Marcus Hale. Army, 2010 to 2019. 92A (Automated Logistical Specialist). Condition: tinnitus (ringing in ears, constant, worse at night). Connection: operated forklifts and worked in a motor pool for most of service. Loud engine noise daily. No hearing protection issued consistently until 2015. Evidence in hand: buddy statement from fellow 92A about noise conditions in the motor pool. Claim type: initial claim. Evidence you already have: - Buddy statement from fellow 92A soldier: describes the noise environment in the motor pool. This supports the in-service noise exposure account you described. Review it with your VSO to confirm it covers the key facts: your presence, the conditions, and the timeframe. Evidence you may still need: Service treatment records: Any sick call visits related to hearing or ear complaints during service. Request through milConnect or the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC). Allow several weeks. Personal statement (lay statement): Your own written account of the noise exposure, what protection was or was not available, and when the tinnitus began. This tool can help you draft that statement. Take the draft to your VSO before submitting. VA audiology exam: After you file, the VA may schedule a Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam. This is conducted by VA-affiliated clinicians. You do not arrange it yourself; the VA schedules it after receiving your claim. Medical nexus opinion: A written opinion from a licensed clinician stating that your tinnitus is at least as likely as not connected to your in-service noise exposure. This must come from a clinician, not from you or this tool. Ask your VSO whether a private nexus opinion is advisable before your C&P exam. Private audiology records: Any hearing tests or tinnitus evaluations from a private provider since separation. If you have these, they may support your current diagnosis. Questions to ask your accredited VSO: 1. For tinnitus claims, is a C&P exam typically scheduled automatically after I file, or do I need to request one? 2. Should I get a private nexus opinion before filing, or after a C&P exam result I disagree with? 3. My buddy statement describes noise conditions but does not specifically mention me. Is that enough, or should we ask the buddy to revise it? 4. I have no hearing sick call record from service. How significant is that gap for an initial tinnitus claim? 5. Are there any PACT Act or other presumptive provisions that apply to occupational noise exposure for my MOS and years of service? Note: This checklist is a preparation tool only. It does not guarantee any outcome or predict a rating. Verify all evidence requirements with VA.gov or your VSO before filing. ## Customization notes Run this prompt once per condition. A focused, condition-specific checklist is more useful than one covering all conditions at once. For conditions related to toxic exposure or burn pits, ask your VSO about the PACT Act presumptive list before you decide what additional evidence to gather. For mental health conditions or PTSD, the evidence requirements and the VSO questions will be different. For those conditions, also note that the Veterans Crisis Line is available by dialing 988 then pressing 1. --- From The VA & Benefits Navigator Library at vetslearn.com/libraries/va