You may have heard of a buddy letter and you’re wondering if it can help increase your chances of obtaining disability benefits. Yes, a buddy letter can help. A buddy letter is a statement that provides insight into a Veteran’s disability. It can be a very important part of a disability claim by providing the VA with additional information not found in military service, or medical records. The VA may use certified buddy statements or affidavits as evidence to supplement or substitute for STRs (Service Treatment Records).
A buddy letter is also known as a buddy statement, a lay, or a witness statement. A good example of a buddy letter: If the VA denied your claim for back issues in the past. A fellow service member witnessed the incident that caused your back condition. The service member can write a letter describing the incident and how it affected you. A buddy letter can be submitted as additional evidence to an existing claim by submitting the letter with a VA Forms 21-4138 Statement in Support of Claim, or a VA Form 21-10210 Lay/Witness Statement. The statement can also be used when filing a supplemental claim, where the statement is submitted by the Veteran, or their representative, as new and relevant evidence in an existing claim.
Who can write a buddy letter? Anyone that knows the Veteran, and has firsthand knowledge of the Veteran’s disability, or injury. They must be at least 18 years old, and a dependable witness to the Veteran’s condition and how it affects them. For example:
- Friends
- Children
- Spouses
- Fellow service members
- Co-workers
- Employers
- Siblings
- Parents
How do you submit a buddy letter? Multiple letters may be submitted, but it is very important that the letters are accurate and concise without over exaggerating symptoms. Each letter should be submitted separately with its own VA form. That means use a new form for each statement. If more than one person is going to submit a statement to support your claim, please ask each person to use a separate form. The specific type of form that is submitted with the buddy letter depends on the type of claim that is being filed. The 2 most common VA forms submitted with buddy letters are VA Forms 21-4138 Statement in Support of Claim and VA Form 21-10210 Lay/Witness Statement.
To notarize, or not to notarize. That is a very good question. All buddy letters should be signed and dated. If the buddy letter is not submitted on a VA Form 21-4138 Statement in Support of Claim or VA Form 21-10210 Lay/Witness Statement, then the letter must be notarized. What does “notarize” mean? If a letter or other document is notarized, it is signed by a notary public, attesting that what the submitter has written is the truth.
How to write an effective buddy letter?
Understand the 2 types of buddy statements:
- Buddy statements from fellow service members. “When a military co-worker writes a buddy letter for you, he\she is helping to establish where your service-connected disability took place and the details about the event. The co-worker writing the letter should be someone who was with you and witnessed the event that caused or aggravated your disability.”
- Buddy statements from friends, family members, and co-workers. Since these people did not serve in the military with you, their letters should focus on how the disability has impacted your daily life and relationship.
Tips for writing an effective buddy letter.
- The statement can be typed or hand written.
- Keep the statement short, generally no longer than one page.
- Be clear and state the facts as you know them to be true.
- Do not exaggerate, or embellish.
- Do not tell the author what to write. The author must use their own words.
- Anyone writing a buddy letter should include their complete contact information and the full name of the veteran for whom the letter is being written.
- The statement must be signed and dated
- If the statement is not submitted on a VA Form 21-4138 Statement in Support of Claim or VA Form 21-10210 Lay/Witness Statement, it must be notarized by a Notary Public.
While buddy letters are not required to obtain maximum benefits, they can be extremely useful when it comes to supporting your claims. The more evidence you have to support and substantiate your claims, the better. If you have additional questions about buddy statements, do not hesitate to reach out to your legal representative. They will be more than happy to help you obtain and submit your buddy letters to the VA.
