Getting a medical diagnosis

Element #1 of the Caluza test. Without a current diagnosis, no claim can succeed. The diagnosis can come from anywhere a licensed provider gives you one — VA medical center, civilian primary care, a specialist, or an Independent Medical Examination (IME).

If you don’t have a diagnosis yet

• Schedule with your VA primary care provider and report all symptoms thoroughly. Be specific: frequency, duration, severity, functional impact. “I have trouble sleeping” is weak. “I wake up gasping for breath 3–4 times per night and feel exhausted every day” is documentation that supports a sleep apnea workup.
• Ask for referrals to specialists for any condition that needs specialty evaluation — sleep studies, audiology, dermatology, ortho, mental health.
• If VA is slow or dismissive, see a civilian provider in parallel. Private records count.
• For mental health, get an Independent Medical Examination from a private psychologist or psychiatrist. Many advocate-aligned providers offer veteran-focused evaluations.

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