What tips do you have to navigate VES or Veteran Evaluation Services?

The most important information I can give is to get a lawyer. I could say more but each case is different and each person handling your claim has own outlook on procedures and evidence. Lawyers can bring everything together.

If you no your disabilities come from the service don't give up. Keep all your records and proof together. I still don't get my rashes, dizzy spells or a few other things at fort McClellan on my claim. But don't give up. Especially those who have been in toxic areas.

Some disabled veterans struggle staying in their own homes. Where they feel more complete in their own self built surrounding. But for example this year we received so much snow it was breaking the winch cable to my plow for my four wheeler. Snow was piling up on roofs and all around me. Putting me in a helpless situation. Does the VA have programs to help? A group of guys some are veterans have started a small business called heros for hire. Two of the guys are veterans, thank God they rescued me, but if I would have had a lower income couldn't afford to pay them enough. I recommend a program that could help pay a percentage to home care providers. To help with maintenance. Not sure about anyone else, but as a disabled veteran living in my own Quiet home means everything to me and my disabilities. We all no veterans have different sleep habits, and many of us wake up at the drop of a pin sound. Please help keep us in our homes.

As others have said, keep copies of everything you submit and records of when and what you submit. I have talked with some veterans who have filed on their own and it went quite well, but those people also did a lot of self-research or got assistance from others who had gone through the process.
If you use a law firm or private company to assist you, ensure you read everything carefully as I have heard where some agreements for the firm to be compensated when you are awarded a claim don't expire if their attempt is unsuccessful (you are denied now, go through a VSO - DAV, VFW, County VSO- and that firm still collects its portion of your new rating).
I mentioned County VSO, they are usually with the state Department of Veterans Affairs (some states may change the name). They are there to assist mostly with those individual states veterans benefits but can also assist with filing a disability claim. They sometimes serve as the official service officer for several different veteran service organizations (American Legion uses them, for one).
If you need to get a copy of your DD 214 or other items from your service record you can sometimes obtain them (if discharged after 2000 sometime, not sure of cutoff date) online from the https://milconnect.dmdc.osd.mil/milconnect/ milconnect website (must have DS Login premium or CAC) which enables you to download to your computer and print. You can order through the archives website https://www.archives.gov/personnel-records-center/dd-214 . and have them mailed to you. Coast Guard can order from the Archive website (if discharged/retired prior to October 1, 2006) if after October 1, 2006 must order from Coast Guard Records https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Assistant-Commandant-for-Human-Resources-CG-1/Personnel-Service-Center-PSC/BOPS/PSC-BOPS-C/PSC-BOPS-C-MR/PSC-BOPS-C-MR_DD-214_Request/ . Coast Guard records not available through milconnect as that is DOD and CG is DHS.

1. It's best to start the process a year before you retire or leave the military. Make sure you get a certified copy of all your medical records ie. you may have two health folds like myself when you get out. You can ask where to take them prior to signing them out. It took a week for me to get call to come and pick up both medical jacket and certified copys.
2. If it's not written in your active duty medical records it did not happen. I will say things go missing from your medical records and this is why you provide your copy and some how they find the lost item. ie. if you are having trouble with right knee and it's written in your medical records but at some point your left knee starts given you trouble and you never get it written into your medical records. They will not consider your left knee as a rating because it's not written in your medical file. once you are out. I had to look a every medical file to find where both knee's were written in my records and that's what save me as I got my rating for both.
3. Do not think you can use the Va hospital records for rating or increase rating. Get a family Doctor and have them send you to any specialist you may need. The raters have to use those medical notes for your rating if that what you submit. Remember the rating chart was written back in the 1950's so what's wrong with you might not fit in for that type of rating. ie. I'm not saying Va doctors won't help but they don't write anything the would benefit you for that rating or increase.
4. After you get your rating letter read it has it tells you why you only got that rating of 10% and if you had this and this you would have got 20% which is important down the road. If you start to have these types of problems down the road and see a private doctor and have new evident to submit for that increase. Make sure this is something you are sure of before requesting increase that there has not been any improvement written any where on what you submit as it will back fire and they will likely decrease your % rating.
5. Over all when you get your rating letter back an low rating of 30% don't give up and except that rating. Keep fighting for increase like me 40% to 50% to 60% to 70% to 90% and very long time lawyer to help fight and got my 100%.

Patience. Persistence. Paperwork: be prepared to submit multiple times by email and by hard copy . (that's 4 P's) Don't be discouraged if you are examined for a board and rejected. I was rejected 3 times, and I kept appealing. The written words of caregivers about failure to perform activities of daily living independently count for a great deal. More, really, than the words of providers, although the diagnosis must appear in your chart. The disability ratings explain what conditions and symptoms need to be present to authorize a higher disability rating, as a VA counselor pointed out to me. He did not tell me to lie, and I didn't lie, I just used the right words to describe my symptoms. The symptoms you report and the condition that caregivers and providers describe must match up. Boards are composed of providers, and they know how to read MRIs and X-rays and EKG''s and audiograms. You can't fake your way to a disability. But I can't stress enough: start as soon as you can, even if you didn't see the VA rep on your 120 day window for separation from active duty. You can access your records on my health eVet, which is so much easier that having to make hard copies of your entire medical record. I did and lost it, and the Army lost it, but the VA kept a copy that I gave them prior to separation from active duty, and that saved me. Good Luck God Bless.

The VA, hired VES for the backlog, deni veterans of Thier claim. The VES puts lies in the your exam so you will get denied, mess up your service years, as a Infantry man I have back issues, had to do IMO, Buddy letter, and they denied me 21 years of service. Thanks Joe Biden, VA Sectary, all the circus clowns in DC

VES along with LHI & QTC are under contract yo to the VA to perform C&P exams. Contrary to some, these companies do not rate your disability. Additionally, it can only evaluate what the VA wants evaluated. Most of the examiners are very good and there are stories of some who are not so good or even worse.

Those things aside, if you feel the examiner did not do what you thought should have been covered, you can contact your VSO, Accredited Claims Agent or attorney and challenge the exam. You can request a new exam.

Be sure your representative is an Accredited Claims Agent, Accredited VSO or attorney. It is illegal to charge to file a claim. However, it is legal for Accredited VSO, Accredited Claims Agent & attorneys to charge for services on an issue after the claim has been denied. Anyone claiming to be Accredited, ask to see their credentials. If they can't or won't, step away, turn around and run away.

Thankfully I was a 4th generation Military Soldier so I was fully aware of what to keep and not to.

Yes having a full copy of your medical records is a good choice but the only thing the VA is going to pay attention to is the “left side” of those records as that is where you are officially diagnosed with any lasting issues.

It is important to have anything and everything that happened to you diagnosed. Hemorrhoids, vision degradation, hearing loss (if you are in any Combat MOS, you know well there has been times you had forgone ear plugs,”) headaches, knee, back, neck, broken bones, or “trench foot” as they once called it.

If nothing else…just copy it. Hope that helps a bit and yes; start no less then 6 months out.

Contact the DAV for help.
Every time they refuse your claim, immediately appeal.