VA awards disability compensation when the claim file shows three things: 1. Current diagnosis of a disability 2. Record of an event that happened during military service that could have resulted in the disability 3. An opinion that the disability is related to military service, also called a “nexus opinion” If the first two items are clearly shown in your claim application, that’s when the C&P exam process comes in. If you did not submit enough information with your claim application to show that you have a current diagnosis of a disability or that an event occurred in military service that may have caused the disability, there is no need for VA to schedule a claim exam to get a nexus opinion to tie the two events together. Make sure you submit all relevant military and treatment records as part of your claim application.