Chapter Sixteen

Submitting Evidence

enever a Veteran submits supporting evidence for their Claim (Stressor Letters, Psychiatrist & Psychologists Letters, Medical Records, Medical Records, etc.) we recommend writing a cover letter in third person detailing what information is being submitted.

The cover letter should be addressed to the Adjudication Officer at the Regional Office which is handling your Claim. You will know who that person is because they will have been the person corresponding with you at the onset of your initial Claim Filing. (i.e. Person signing letters Number One, Two & Three.)

We suggest you write Cover Letters in third person because this presents itself as if someone is representing you. The Third Person effect is just another bit of Bureaucratic mumbo jumbo, but it can be a benefit for the Claims Filing Process. You will find an example of a Cover Letter in Chapter 23 “Example Letters”.

An example of first person is; I am submitting evidence in support of my Claim for PTSD.

An example of third person is; We are submitting evidence in support of Mr. John Q. Public’s Claim for PTSD.