What to do after a bad or inadequate C&P exam
If your C&P exam felt rushed, wrong, or too short, you have options. You can request the report, submit a rebuttal or new evidence, ask for a new exam, or raise it on appeal. Here is how to respond.
A lot of veterans walk out of a C&P exam feeling it went badly: it was five minutes long, the examiner seemed dismissive, or the questions did not match their condition. A bad exam is not the end of your claim, and you have several concrete options.
First, get the report
Request a copy of your C&P exam report (the Disability Benefits Questionnaire, or DBQ) so you can see exactly what the examiner wrote. You can request your records from the VA. Reading it tells you whether the exam actually captured your condition.
Then choose a response
If the exam was inaccurate or incomplete, you can submit a rebuttal statement and additional evidence, such as a private medical opinion or a DBQ completed by your own provider. In some cases you can request a new exam. An exam can be legally 'inadequate' if the examiner did not review your file or did not address the required criteria.
If a decision already issued
If the VA already decided based on a flawed exam, an inadequate exam is grounds for a Supplemental Claim (with new evidence) or a Higher-Level Review (arguing the VA erred by relying on it). Acting within one year of the decision protects your effective date. A free VA-accredited Veterans Service Officer can help you pick the path.
Last reviewed July 13, 2026 by VA Disability Pro. We summarize official sources in our own words and link to them; we don’t republish source text. This is general information, not legal advice, and we are not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.