Ask for a Buddy Statement That Adds Useful Facts

Choose Someone Who Knows the Relevant Facts

A buddy statement does not have to come from a military friend. A spouse, relative, coworker, supervisor, or someone who served with you may have useful observations. The right witness depends on the question. Someone present during an injury may help describe the event; someone who sees you regularly may explain current limitations.

Ask what the person actually remembers before requesting a statement. Do not send a completed story for them to sign. Give them the condition or issue you are addressing and let them decide what they can truthfully contribute. A short independent account can be more useful than a long statement filled with assumptions.

Sources: Upload Supporting Evidence · VA Form 21-10210 and Instructions (PDF)

Explain How the Witness Knows You

The statement should make the witness’s vantage point clear. How do they know you? During what period did they observe you? Were they present at the event, working beside you afterward, or visiting occasionally? These details help a reader understand the limits of the account.

For example, a former supervisor who worked with you daily can describe workplace observations during that period. They should not imply they observed symptoms years before meeting you. A family member who heard your account after an event should distinguish that conversation from something they personally witnessed. The difference can be stated simply, without legal terminology.

Sources: 38 CFR 3.159: Evidence and VA Assistance · VA Form 21-10210 and Instructions (PDF)

Describe Events and Changes Rather Than Labels

Ask the witness to describe concrete observations. What happened? What did they see or hear? What changed over time? Approximately when did it occur? An honest date range is better than a manufactured exact date. If they reviewed a calendar or message to refresh their memory, they can explain that.

Witnesses without the relevant medical expertise should avoid diagnosing a condition or declaring a medical cause. They can still describe an injury, a visible restriction, or help they regularly provide. The goal is to add facts that medical records may not capture, not to make the witness sound like a clinician.

Sources: 38 CFR 3.159: Evidence and VA Assistance

Let Different Witnesses Address Different Gaps

Consider a hypothetical claim involving a service injury and later functional problems. One service colleague might describe the incident and what happened immediately afterward. A family member might describe changes after separation. A coworker might describe a recent limitation. Each account has a different purpose; none needs to repeat the others.

Before requesting several statements, identify what each could add. Avoid recruiting people merely to increase the count. Give witnesses enough time and tell them it is acceptable to say they do not remember. If two accounts differ, do not coach the writers to force agreement. Ask each to check their own recollection and identify uncertainty.

Sources: Evidence Needed for a Disability Claim · VA Form 21-10210: Lay or Witness Statement

Use a Separate, Complete Statement for Each Witness

VA Form 21-10210 is designed for lay or witness statements. Its instructions call for a separate form for each statement when there is more than one witness. The form identifies the Veteran or claimant, the issue, and the witness’s relationship and contact information. Follow its current signature and certification instructions.

VA offers an online statement option as well as the PDF. Use the official form page to choose the route. Make sure the witness reviews the final version and understands what they are signing. Do not add medical records or unrelated personal details about the witness unless they serve a clear purpose in the claim.

Sources: VA Form 21-10210: Lay or Witness Statement · VA Form 21-10210 and Instructions (PDF)

Submit It in the Correct Claim or Review Process

Keep a copy of each final statement and record when and how it was submitted. For a pending disability claim, VA provides an evidence-upload route. Your appointed representative can also help submit it. A witness emailing their account to you is not proof that VA received it.

If the claim has already been decided, discuss the appropriate review option before uploading new evidence. A statement may be relevant to a Supplemental Claim, while Higher-Level Review does not accept new evidence. Preserve the decision letter and its instructions so a useful statement does not distract from the separate requirement to request review on time.

Sources: Upload Supporting Evidence · Supplemental Claims · Higher-Level Reviews

Common Questions