Where to Find VA DBQs—and What a DBQ Can and Cannot Prove

VA publishes public Disability Benefits Questionnaires by body system and condition. Download the current form directly from VA rather than relying on an old saved copy or an unofficial form site.

VA instructs Veterans to have the appropriate health care provider complete the form. Clinician information blocks must be completed, and the clinician must sign and date the DBQ. VA may verify authenticity.

A DBQ primarily records diagnosis, symptoms, clinical findings, testing, treatment, and functional impairment in a standardized format. Some DBQs contain medical-opinion questions, but many public DBQs do not establish whether the disability was caused or aggravated by military service or another service-connected condition.

If the disputed element is medical nexus, the record may need a separate, reasoned opinion addressing the correct legal and medical question—not merely a completed severity questionnaire.

• Not every examination form is available for public use; VA lists several examinations that require specialized training or have regulatory restrictions.
• VA does not reimburse the cost of having a private clinician complete a DBQ.
• VA may still schedule a no-cost C&P examination or request another examination.
• A remote or inaccurate DBQ can create credibility and fraud concerns. Never ask a clinician to state facts the clinician cannot independently support.

• Confirm the correct current DBQ was used.
• Make sure every applicable section and required test is addressed.
• Correct clerical errors without scripting medical judgment.
• Ask the clinician to distinguish reported history from independently observed findings.
• Keep a complete signed copy and proof of submission.