Course Catalog / BMU 301 / Lesson 1 of 9
Lesson 1: Seven Rules That Decide Most Claims
In this lesson you will
- Learn the seven rules the rest of the course builds on
- Know the red flags of paid claim help
- Pick where to start based on your situation
A denial is often a problem with the file, not the facts
A denial or a low rating is a decision about the evidence VA had on one date, and the letter names what was missing. Your claim file should clearly show what happened to you. These seven rules are the short version of the whole course.
- Protect the date first. An Intent to File holds your potential effective date for one year while you build the claim. If you separated less than a year ago, a claim VA receives within one year of separation can be paid from the day after discharge.
- Every condition needs three things: a current diagnosis; an in-service event, injury, or exposure; and a link between them, or a presumption that supplies the link.
- The decision letter tells you what is missing. Read the Reasons for Decision for every condition before you do anything else.
- You have one year from the date on the decision notice to choose a review lane and keep your effective date.
- At the C&P exam, describe your normal day, your bad days, and how often bad days happen. Do not minimize, and do not exaggerate.
- Get your C-file on VA Form 20-10206 before you challenge a decision.
- Free help is available. Accredited VSO representatives never charge for their help. Accredited attorneys and claims agents may not charge you for help with your initial claim. They can charge only after VA decides that claim, and only with a written fee agreement you both sign. (Source: VA Office of General Counsel, Accreditation, Discipline, and Fees, accessed Oct 29, 2026.)
One warning before you start
Anyone who is not VA-accredited, guarantees a rating, or wants money up front to file your initial claim is a red flag. You can check accreditation on the VA's accreditation search at va.gov.
Where to start
- Still on active duty: the "still in uniform" and "day after service" lessons.
- Out, but have not filed: timing, then diagnosis, nexus, and impact, then medical records.
- Just got a decision letter: the "read the decision" lesson.
- Denied and thinking about giving up on a condition: the "read the decision" lesson first.
- Dealing with PTSD, anxiety, depression, or MST: the mental health lesson.
- Burn pits, Gulf War service, or Agent Orange era locations: the PACT Act lesson.
Every lesson ends with a Claim Builder exercise that produces one piece of your file: a list, a chart, a statement, or a timeline.
Key takeaways
- Protect your effective date first
- Diagnosis, in-service event, and a link: every condition needs all three
- Honest and specific beats dramatic or minimized
- Free accredited help exists, and guarantees are a red flag
Exercise: Claim Builder: your starting list
- List every condition you have or plan to claim, one per line
- Next to each, write whether you have a current diagnosis, an in-service record, and a link (yes, no, or not sure)
- Write down any date that matters: separation date, Intent to File date, or decision notice date
- Find a VA-accredited representative you can contact this week
Reflect
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Not legal advice. This course is general education about the VA claims process. It is not a shortcut, a guaranteed rating, or a substitute for an accredited representative. BMU is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. VA rules, forms, and deadlines change, so confirm details at va.gov and with a VA-accredited representative (accredited VSO help is free). If you are a veteran in crisis, call 988 and press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line.