Buddy Statement Builder Walk through the steps below to gather the information needed for a compelling buddy statement (lay statement) supporting a VA disability claim.
Step 1 of 6: Condition
1 Condition
2 About You (the Statement Writer)
3 What You've Observed
4 Before and After
5 Impact on Daily Life
6 Review & Generate
Select Condition Choose the condition this buddy statement will support.
Condition -- Select a condition -- PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) Tinnitus Bilateral Hearing Loss Lumbar Strain (Low Back Pain) Cervical Strain (Neck Pain) Knee Limitation of Flexion Knee Limitation of Extension Knee Instability (Subluxation) Plantar Fasciitis (Foot Pain) Obstructive Sleep Apnea Migraine Headaches Radiculopathy — Sciatic Nerve Peripheral Neuropathy — Lower Extremities Peripheral Neuropathy — Upper Extremities Diabetes Mellitus Type II Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) Erectile Dysfunction Degenerative Arthritis (Osteoarthritis) Fibromyalgia Gout Rheumatoid Arthritis Shoulder Limitation of Motion Shoulder Impingement Syndrome Ankle Limitation of Motion Hip Limitation of Flexion Hip Limitation of Extension Intervertebral Disc Syndrome (IVDS) Flatfoot (Pes Planus) Hallux Valgus (Bunion) Hammer Toes Total Knee Replacement (Arthroplasty) Elbow Limitation of Motion Wrist Limitation of Motion Rotator Cuff Tear Total Hip Replacement (Arthroplasty) Total Shoulder Replacement (Arthroplasty) Meniscus Tear Shin Splints (Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome) Spinal Stenosis Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction Osteoporosis Trigger Finger (Stenosing Tenosynovitis) Thoracic Spine Strain Achilles Tendonitis Claw Foot (Pes Cavus) Morton's Neuroma (Anterior Metatarsalgia) Osteomyelitis Scoliosis Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome Total Elbow Replacement (Arthroplasty) Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow) Dupuytren's Contracture Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Costochondritis (Chest Wall Pain) De Quervain's Tenosynovitis Burn Scars of Head, Face, or Neck Scars, Painful or Unstable Recurrent Ankle Instability Bursitis Femoroacetabular Impingement (Hip Impingement) Adhesive Capsulitis (Frozen Shoulder) Muscle Injury, Anterior Thigh (Muscle Group XIV) Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome Stress Fracture Residuals Patellar Tendonitis (Jumper's Knee) Piriformis Syndrome Chondromalacia Patella Bipolar Disorder Adjustment Disorder Panic Disorder Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Somatic Symptom Disorder Insomnia Disorder Eating Disorder Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia) Schizoaffective Disorder Social Anxiety Disorder Schizophrenia Delusional Disorder Dissociative Identity Disorder Unspecified Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorder Substance Use Disorder (Secondary) Mild Neurocognitive Disorder Illness Anxiety Disorder Specific Phobia Conversion Disorder (Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder) Intermittent Explosive Disorder Acute Stress Disorder Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Epilepsy — Grand Mal (Generalized Convulsive) Epilepsy — Petit Mal (Absence) Trigeminal Neuralgia Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Multiple Sclerosis Radiculopathy — Cervical (Upper) Peroneal Nerve Paralysis (Foot Drop) Parkinson's Disease Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Restless Legs Syndrome Stroke Residuals (Cerebrovascular Accident) Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) Narcolepsy Ulnar Nerve Entrapment (Cubital Tunnel Syndrome) Bell's Palsy (Facial Nerve Paralysis) Guillain-Barré Syndrome Occipital Neuralgia Autonomic Neuropathy Pudendal Neuralgia Meralgia Paresthetica Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Myasthenia Gravis Sixth Cranial Nerve Paralysis Chronic Pain Syndrome Cubital Tunnel Syndrome (Ulnar Nerve Entrapment at Elbow) Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome (Posterior Tibial Nerve Entrapment) Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS/RSD) Chronic Tension-Type Headaches Femoral Neuropathy Bronchial Asthma Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Allergic Rhinitis Chronic Sinusitis Pulmonary Embolism (Residuals) Sarcoidosis Bronchiectasis Pulmonary Fibrosis (Interstitial Lung Disease) Deviated Septum Chronic Laryngitis Pulmonary Hypertension Pneumothorax Residuals Lung Cancer Residuals Vocal Cord Paralysis Pleural Effusion Residuals Nasal Polyps Central Sleep Apnea Chronic Bronchitis Interstitial Lung Disease Asbestosis Coronary Artery Disease Cardiac Arrhythmia Heart Valve Disease Peripheral Vascular Disease Cardiomyopathy Congestive Heart Failure Varicose Veins Aortic Aneurysm Raynaud's Disease Deep Vein Thrombosis Residuals (Post-Thrombotic Syndrome) Pericarditis Myocardial Infarction Residuals Atrioventricular Block (Heart Block) Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Residuals Supraventricular Tachycardia Angina Pectoris (Ischemic Heart Disease) Cardiac Pacemaker Implant Ventricular Arrhythmia Arteriosclerosis Obliterans Lymphedema Postphlebitic Syndrome Endocarditis Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Hepatitis C Crohn's Disease Hemorrhoids Ulcerative Colitis Hiatal Hernia Liver Cirrhosis Pancreatitis Peptic Ulcer Disease Diverticulitis Fatty Liver Disease Cholecystitis Celiac Disease Gastroparesis Esophageal Stricture Anal Fistula (Fistula in Ano) Intestinal Surgery Residuals (Short Bowel Syndrome) Hepatitis B Inguinal Hernia Ventral Hernia (Incisional) Colostomy / Ileostomy Rectal Prolapse Gallbladder Removal Residuals (Post-Cholecystectomy Syndrome) Chronic Gastritis Dysphagia (Difficulty Swallowing) Small Bowel Obstruction Chronic Kidney Disease (Renal Insufficiency) Urinary Incontinence Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) Kidney Stones (Nephrolithiasis) Chronic Urinary Tract Infection Endometriosis Overactive Bladder Prostate Cancer Testicular Conditions (Atrophy / Removal) Interstitial Cystitis (Bladder Pain Syndrome) Hydronephrosis Chronic Epididymitis Renal Cell Carcinoma (Kidney Cancer) Neurogenic Bladder Bladder Cancer Female Sexual Arousal Disorder Uterine Fibroids (Leiomyomata) Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome Hysterectomy Residuals Urethral Stricture Varicocele Nephrectomy Residuals (Kidney Removal) Chronic Cystitis Chronic Pyelonephritis (Chronic Kidney Infection) Hypothyroidism Hyperthyroidism (Graves' Disease) Addison's Disease (Adrenal Insufficiency) Cushing's Syndrome Hyperparathyroidism Diabetes Insipidus Thyroid Enlargement (Nontoxic Goiter) Hypoparathyroidism Pheochromocytoma Thyroid Cancer Residuals Acromegaly Prolactinoma (Pituitary Adenoma) Diabetes Mellitus Type I Secondary Adrenal Cortical Insufficiency Hyperaldosteronism (Conn's Syndrome) Hashimoto's Thyroiditis Graves' Disease Toxic Nodular Goiter Meniere's Disease (Endolymphatic Hydrops) Dry Eye Syndrome Glaucoma Cataracts Peripheral Vestibular Disorder Diabetic Retinopathy Macular Degeneration Chronic Otitis Media Uveitis Corneal Dystrophy Retinal Detachment Tympanic Membrane Perforation Optic Neuropathy Chronic Otitis Externa Otosclerosis Visual Field Loss Pterygium Keratoconus Cholesteatoma Acoustic Neuroma (Vestibular Schwannoma) Chronic Conjunctivitis Chronic Blepharitis Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Central Serous Retinopathy (CSR) Amblyopia (Lazy Eye) Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ) Loss of Teeth (Due to Bone Loss) Jaw Fracture Residuals Chronic Osteomyelitis of the Jaw Nonunion of the Mandible Loss of Hard Palate Partial Loss of Mandible Partial Loss of Maxilla Loss of Soft Palate Partial Loss of Tongue Nonunion of the Maxilla Salivary Gland Disease Osteonecrosis of the Jaw Chronic Periodontal Disease Anosmia (Loss of Sense of Smell) Chronic Pleurisy Pneumoconiosis (Occupational Lung Disease) Atrial Fibrillation Barrett's Esophagus Select the VA condition this statement is intended to support.
When you use this builder, the text you enter is sent to an AI service for processing. Data is processed by OpenAI's API (primary) or Anthropic's API (fallback), which may retain it temporarily per their privacy policies. Please avoid including Social Security numbers or other sensitive personal identifiers. This tool is not affiliated with the VA.
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This tool provides general information about VA disability claims, not legal or medical advice. Consult an accredited Veterans Service Organization (VSO) or VA-accredited attorney for case-specific guidance. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. AI-powered features use OpenAI and Anthropic. Text you submit is processed by third-party AI APIs but is not stored permanently.
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