Initial Claims

Person reviewing documents at a table with a notebook, coffee mug, and laptop in a living room.

Get Your Records Before You File: The Paper Trail That Decides Your First Claim

by Brad Cummings • 20 July 2026
First claims are decided on paper. The records to pull before filing, from your DD-214 and STRs to private treatment, and how to organize the file.
Notebook asks “Who Should Help With My VA Claim?” with DIY, VSO, and attorney cards on a desk.

VSO, Lawyer, or Do It Yourself? Who Should Actually Help With Your First Claim

by Brad Cummings • 20 July 2026
No lawyer can charge you to file an initial VA claim, but attorneys can represent you free. DIY, VSO, or lawyer: the honest breakdown of all three lanes.