In most cases, yes. When a C&P exam is scheduled, VA is required to provide the examiner with the relevant portions of your claims file, which should include your VA treatment records. If your therapy has been through the VA health system (VHA), those notes live in the same electronic health record system (CPRS/VistA, or its replacement) that examiners can pull from, so a VA-employed examiner typically has direct access to your treatment history, including any PTSD diagnosis your provider has documented.
The picture is a little different if your exam is conducted by a contracted examiner (through companies like LHI, QTC, or VES rather than VA itself). Contract examiners are not VA employees and do not have open access to CPRS. Instead, VA is supposed to send them the relevant claims file materials, including private and VA treatment records that are already associated with your claim, before the exam. Under 38 CFR 3.159, VA has a duty to assist by obtaining relevant records and ensuring the examiner has what is needed to render an informed opinion. In practice, though, claims files are not always complete or current by the time they reach the examiner, especially if records were added close to the exam date or come from a therapist whose notes were not yet uploaded into your file.
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 →Because of that gap, it is worth taking a few practical steps rather than assuming the examiner will automatically see everything. You can ask your VA therapist for a copy of her diagnosis and relevant treatment summary, and bring that paperwork with you to the C&P exam to hand directly to the examiner if there is any doubt about what is in the file. You can also check your claims file status through the VA's eBenefits or VA.gov claim status tool, or ask your VSO or claims representative to confirm that your mental health records have been associated with the claim before the exam date. A diagnosis and nexus opinion from a longtime treating provider can carry significant weight, so making sure the examiner actually has it in hand is worth the extra effort.
As a concrete next step, request a written summary or letter from your VA therapist documenting your PTSD diagnosis and treatment history, and bring a copy to your C&P exam in case it is not already in the examiner's file.
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