How to Get a Buddy Statement for Your VA Claim

A buddy statement is a written declaration from someone other than the veteran that provides evidence about the veteran's service, condition, or the impact of their disability. When used correctly, buddy statements fill evidentiary gaps that medical records cannot.

Who can write a buddy statement

Anyone with personal knowledge relevant to your claim can submit a buddy statement. This includes fellow service members who witnessed the incident or condition that caused your disability, your current spouse or partner who can describe how your condition affects your daily life, family members who have observed changes in your behavior or function, former employers or supervisors who can speak to how your condition affects your work capacity, and neighbors or friends who have witnessed functional limitations.

The person does not need any special credentials. What matters is personal, firsthand knowledge of what they are describing. A neighbor who has watched you struggle to walk to your mailbox every day for five years has relevant observations. That neighbor does not need to be a medical professional to describe what they have seen.

What a good buddy statement includes

A buddy statement submitted to the VA is a sworn declaration under penalty of perjury. It uses VA Form 21-10210 or can be a written statement with similar language.

The statement should identify the relationship between the author and the veteran and explain how long and in what context they have known the veteran. It should describe specific, concrete observations rather than general impressions. Dates, locations, and specific incidents are more persuasive than general characterizations.

For service connection purposes, a fellow service member's statement about an incident in service that caused an injury, or about observing the veteran being treated for a condition in service, directly supports the nexus between service and disability.

For rating purposes, a caregiver's or family member's statement about the veteran's daily functional limitations, what activities they can and cannot perform, and how the disability affects their relationships and quality of life supports a higher rating.

What to avoid

Avoid statements that simply say the veteran deserves their benefits or that the VA should approve the claim. These are opinions about outcomes, not evidence about facts. Evidence must be about what the author personally observed.

Avoid secondhand information. The statement should describe what the author personally saw, heard, or experienced, not what the veteran told them.

How to submit

Buddy statements are submitted as supporting evidence with the claim. They can be uploaded electronically through VA.gov if filing online, submitted by mail to the VA Regional Office handling the claim, or submitted through a VSO handling the claim.

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Bill Advantage is a document literacy tool. Nothing in this article constitutes legal or medical advice.