You do not need to cancel a VA request for private (non-VA) medical records just because you are also trying to obtain them on your own. Under 38 CFR 3.159, VA has a duty to assist claimants in gathering evidence, which includes making reasonable efforts to request records from private treatment providers identified by the veteran. This process runs independently of, and is not harmed by, a veteran also contacting the same providers directly through patient portals or records request forms. In fact, pursuing both avenues at once is common and often speeds up the process, since private offices sometimes respond faster to the patient than to a government request, and vice versa.
If a provider tells you they no longer have records because too much time has passed, that is useful information either way. VA is required to make at least two attempts to obtain private records, and if they cannot be obtained, VA must inform you and give you a chance to submit them yourself before it makes a decision based on unavailability of that evidence. Records from over two decades ago are frequently subject to standard retention schedules, and many private practices only keep charts for a limited number of years, so it is not unusual for records that old to no longer exist.
Official 2026 VA monthly compensation, including the 2.8% COLA increase.
Dependent add-ons start at a 30% rating. Child-only and dependent-parent rates: see the full 2026 pay chart.
| Rating | Monthly (2026, incl. 2.8% COLA) |
|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 |
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Analyze my claim free →There is no downside to letting the VA request continue while you keep trying yourself. If you obtain records independently, you can simply submit them directly to VA referencing your claim number, and VA will add them to your file regardless of whether its own request is still pending or has been closed out. Canceling the VA request would only remove one path to getting the evidence and would not speed anything up; it could instead leave a gap if your own attempts come up empty.
The more useful step is to keep both efforts going: continue trying through the patient portals or records departments, and if a provider confirms in writing that records do not exist, keep that confirmation, since it satisfies the requirement that unavailable evidence be documented in the file. If you obtain any records on your own, send them to VA as soon as possible with a cover note identifying your claim so they get associated with the correct file promptly.
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