>>Text: eClaims Online VA Claims Made Simple..U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.>>Narrator: The Advantages of Using Disability Benefits.Questionnaires, or DBQs.Do you know that you can expedite your VA.disability claim by submitting Disability.Benefits Questionnaires, or DBQs, along with.your Fully Developed Claim?.DBQs are downloadable, electronic forms created.for Veterans’ use in the disability evaluation process..DBQs can help speed up the processing of your.compensation or pension claim..Let’s take a closer look..DBQs were developed to streamline the collection.of medical information needed to process your disability claim..The forms use standardized medical terminology.and check boxes to quickly and accurately.describe medical conditions..There are currently over 70 DBQs available that cover a range of physical and psychological disabilities..With DBQs, you may eliminate the need for.a VA disability rating examination..Any healthcare provider with an active medical.license can easily describe your symptoms.in the terms VA needs to accurately evaluate.and promptly decide your disability claim..Using a provider you’re comfortable with.and who who has treated your disability in.the past helps ensure that important medical.information is included in your claim..While some DBQs are specific to a single medical.condition, many forms can be used for several.conditions related to the same organ or body system, such as heart conditions or respiratory conditions..Remember that VA will only accept DBQs prepared.by healthcare providers with an active medical license..Healthcare providers completing DBQs must.have sufficient medical expertise to conduct.a thorough medical assessment for the type.of DBQ completed..VA, of course, reserves the right to verify.the data and authenticity of all DBQs completed.by private health care providers, and in some.cases, VA may still perform its own medical.examination if additional medical evidence.is needed..Licensed, non-VA, health care providers who.can fill out these forms include:.Physician Assistants,.Nurse Practitioners,.Physicians,.Psychiatrists, and.Psychologists..Your healthcare provider can fill out the.DBQs electronically, or by hand..Legibility is important!.If your healthcare provider completes the.DBQ by hand, VA must be able to read the information..Once completed, providers may mail or securely.fax the paper DBQ to one of two VA Evidence.Intake Centers based on where you live..Your accredited Veterans Service Officer,.or VSO, representative may also submit completed.DBQs directly to the appropriate VA Evidence.Intake Center..However, to receive the fastest claim processing.possible, VA recommends that you submit DBQs.as part of a Fully Developed Claim, or FDC..An FDC submitted with a DBQ is the best way.for Veterans and survivors to get the fastest.decisions possible on their VA claims..You simply submit all your supporting evidence,.including the DBQ, with your application,.and certify that you have no more evidence.to submit..Submitting a DBQ with your FDC may eliminate.the need for a VA medical exam since DBQs.are derived directly from the disability rating.criteria in the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities..DBQs provide VA rating specialists with the information they need to evaluate your disability claim..A complete and accurate DBQ may significantly reduce the amount of time it takes VA to process your claim..When filing an electronic FDC for disability.compensation through eBenefits, any DBQs you.complete should be scanned and uploaded with.your claim..If you are filing a paper FDC, submit any.completed DBQs along with the rest of your.claim package..You are strongly encouraged to work with your.VSO representative..A VSO representative can assist you with identifying.the appropriate DBQ to ensure that you successfully.submit a Fully Developed Claim..To learn more about VA’s FDC Program, visit.www.benefits.va.gov/fdc or go to VBA’s media.and publications page at benefits.va.gov/benefits/ media-publications.asp to access a library of related materials and videos..To help make the DBQ process easier, let’s.quickly walk through the steps on how to locate,.complete, and submit DBQs..STEP ONE: Find the right DBQ Form based on.your claimed disability..DBQ forms can be easily found at the bottom.of the eBenefits homepage at www.ebenefits.va.gov,.under the “Recommended Resources” section..Or, you can find them on the VA website by.visiting www.benefits.va.gov.Click on the “Compensation” tab on the.left hand side of your screen, and then select.“Evidence Requirements.”.You, your healthcare provider, or your appointed.VSO representative can select the appropriate.DBQ by using the “List by DBQ Form Name,”.or “List by Symptoms” web pages..Note that if you’re filing an increased.disability claim online through eBenefits,.the appropriate DBQ to support your claim.will be recommended on the “Documents to.Download and Complete” page..STEP TWO: Complete the DBQ..Download or print the appropriate DBQ and.ask your licensed healthcare provider to complete.the form electronically or by hand..Make sure the provider completing your DBQ:.Follows all instructions carefully,.Completes the last section of the DBQ by providing.his/her name and contact information,.and Signs the DBQ by hand..Providers completing the DBQ electronically.must print out and sign the DBQ by hand in.order for it to be complete..PLEASE NOTE: VA cannot pay or reimburse any.expenses or costs incurred in the process.of completing and/or submitting a DBQ..Important: If you are submitting a DBQ with a Fully Developed Claim, DO NOT submit VA Form 21-4142..This form is an authorization to disclose.information to the Department of Veterans Affairs..Submission of this form allows VA to request.private treatment records on your behalf in.support of a claim..VA Form 21-4142 is used ONLY in the standard.claims process..Submitting this form with an FDC may reroute.your claim from the expedited FDC Program.to standard claim processing.STEP THREE: Save a copy of the completed DBQ.for your records..Make sure that you get a copy of your completed DBQ from your provider and keep it for your records..STEP FOUR: Submit the completed DBQ to VA.When you are submitting an FDC for compensation.or pension, you must submit any completed.DBQs at the same time as your FDC application..Remember: Submitting a DBQ with an FDC can.get you a faster decision on your claim..If you’re planning to submit an electronic.FDC for disability compensation through eBenefits,.the completed DBQ should be scanned into the.computer to be submitted simultaneously with.your claim package..A VSO acting as your Power of Attorney can assist with scanning and uploading the DBQ to eBenefits..Otherwise, you, your Veterans Service Officer,.or your licensed healthcare provider, can.fax or mail to the Claim Intake Center, or.personally deliver your DBQ to the nearest.regional office. You can find the right mailing address and fax number at benefits.va.gov/disabilityexams/..To learn more about the DBQ process, visit.http://www.benefits.va.gov/compensation/ dbq_disabilityexams.asp.Thank you for watching..
