Can A Va Doctor Write A Letter Or Opinion

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http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=1790

d. Medical Statements to Support VA Benefits Claims.

When honoring requests for medical statements by veterans for VA claims adjudication,

care must be taken to avoid conflict of interest or ambiguity.

(1) Determination of causality and disability ratings for VA benefits is exclusively a function of the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA). VHA providers often do not have access to military medical records, and may not be familiar with all the health issues specific to military service, such as environmental exposure.

As a result, they may not feel comfortable in stating causality of a current condition.

However, this does not preclude VHA providers from recording any observations on the current medical status of the veteran found in the medical record,including their current functional status.

All pertinent medical records must be available for review by VBA.

NOTE: VHA continues to provide compensation and pension (C&P) examinations and reports as requested by VBA, as part of any new disability claims or review process.

(2) Requests by a veteran for assistance in completing a VA disability claim are to be referred to VBA through official channels;

however, the clinician, if requested by the veteran, must place a descriptive statement in the veteran