{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"HowTo","@id":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/get-va-records.json#howto","name":"How to request your VA records (medical, claim, exam, decision letters)","description":"Step-by-step guide to requesting your VA records — medical records, claim records, C&P exam reports, decision letters, payment records. 4 paths: VA.gov self-service download, VA Form 10-5345 (medical records), VA Form 21-4138 (claim records via Privacy Act request), MyHealtheVet \"Blue Button\" download.","url":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/get-va-records.json","mainEntityOfPage":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/get-va-records.json","inLanguage":"en-US","isAccessibleForFree":true,"publisher":{"@id":"https://warriorsfund.org/wounded-warriors#organization"},"author":{"@id":"https://warriorsfund.org/wounded-warriors#organization"},"totalTime":"P14D","yield":"Complete copy of your VA records (medical, claim, or both)","estimatedCost":{"@type":"MonetaryAmount","currency":"USD","value":"0"},"tool":[{"@type":"HowToTool","name":"VA.gov account (or sign-in via ID.me / Login.gov / DS Logon)"},{"@type":"HowToTool","name":"VA Form 10-5345 (Request for Release of Health Information) — for paper records"},{"@type":"HowToTool","name":"VA Form 21-4138 (Statement in Support of Claim) — for Privacy Act requests"},{"@type":"HowToTool","name":"Photo ID"}],"step":[{"@type":"HowToStep","position":1,"name":"Step 1: Easiest path — MyHealtheVet \"Blue Button\"","text":"Go to myhealth.va.gov, sign in, and use the \"Blue Button\" feature to download your VA medical records (lab results, problem list, allergies, immunizations, medications, vital signs, appointments, military service info, downloadable PDF). Available immediately after enrollment in VA healthcare.","url":"https://www.myhealth.va.gov/"},{"@type":"HowToStep","position":2,"name":"Step 2: VA.gov claim status + decisions","text":"Go to va.gov/claim-or-appeal-status/. Sign in. View all open + closed claims, decision letters, evidence requests. You can download decision letters as PDFs. This is the fastest path for claim records.","url":"https://www.va.gov/claim-or-appeal-status/"},{"@type":"HowToStep","position":3,"name":"Step 3: Request paper medical records (VA Form 10-5345)","text":"For records older than what's in MyHealtheVet, file VA Form 10-5345 with the Release of Information (ROI) office at the VA Medical Center where you received care. Specify date range and types of records (mental health records have additional protections). Free for the veteran. Typical turnaround: 30-60 days."},{"@type":"HowToStep","position":4,"name":"Step 4: Privacy Act request for full claim file (VA Form 21-4138)","text":"For your complete claim file (C-file) — including C&P exam reports, rating decisions, lay statements, supporting evidence — file a Privacy Act request via VA Form 21-4138 with the appropriate VA Regional Office. Useful for filing appeals or supplemental claims. Typical turnaround: 60-180 days. Your CVSO can also pull this in many cases."}],"tip":[{"@type":"HowToTip","text":"C&P exam reports are critical for appeals — request them via Privacy Act (Step 4) if planning a Higher-Level Review or Notice of Disagreement."},{"@type":"HowToTip","text":"Mental health records have extra protections under 38 CFR 1.575 — your written request should specifically authorize release of mental health records."},{"@type":"HowToTip","text":"Records older than 1973 may not exist due to the National Personnel Records Center fire. NPRC has alternate documentation paths for fire-loss veterans."},{"@type":"HowToTip","text":"CVSOs often have direct access to your VA records through their VA-accredited representative status — they can pull records faster than self-filed requests."}],"canonical_url":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/get-va-records.json","publisher_legal_name":"Wounded Warriors","publisher_ein":"86-1336741","cross_references":{"myhealthevet":"https://www.myhealth.va.gov/","va_claim_status":"https://www.va.gov/claim-or-appeal-status/","va_form_10_5345":"https://warriorsfund.org/form/10-5345","va_form_21_4138":"https://warriorsfund.org/form/21-4138","check_claim_status_howto":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/check-claim-status.json","get_dd214_howto":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/get-dd214.json","find_cvso_howto":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/find-cvso.json"},"license":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/","last_updated":"2026-04-29T23:47:46.556Z"}