If you're going for a VA C&P exam, they will exam and interview you thoroughly regarding each condition, and the limitations it causes. Best to have all the medical documentation you can bring with you. Much nowadays will already be in the electronic record, but your prescriptions, any other documents that you think might apply, etc...
I hate to say it like this, but from my own personal experience I felt, especially after I read their C&P reports, that they weren't so much concerned about properly documenting the conditions and limitations as they were fishing for sound bites from me to diminish or discount everything. With that in mind, be very cognizant of what you say and what information you offer.
If you tell them your knee is unstable, hurts like hell, causes you to limp on cold days, and pops like Orville Reddenbacker, and mention that on occasion you still gut out the pain so you can participate in the APFT. Their report may very well list it as, "Occasional pain and discomfort, but able to do the APFT without issues". When I read my C&P exam reports, calling them dirty lying rat bastards seemed to light a moniker.
I hope your experience is vastly different then mine was, but be prepared in any case.
The basic steps in case you're still shaky on them are:
Enter the IDES system.
Get a NARSUM done by a military physician (narrative summary) of your conditions and how they affect your ability to perform you military duties.
Get VA C&P (compensation and pension) exams, that will be used to determine your VASRD (VA service related disability) ratings.
After the C&P exams are done but well before the VASRD ratings are posted (at the IPEB stage), you will receive an MEB finding.
The MEB finding purpose is to determine if you have any UNFITTING conditions, very important, because ONLY the Unfitting conditions will be considered by the military to determine if you qualify for separation (one time big check) or retirement (TRICARE, maybe a small check if it's combat related (CRSC).
When you get your MEB findings you have 10 days to consult with JAG or your own attorney and ADD any Unfitting conditions that aren't already on there.
After that it goes to the VA raters, who come back in a few months with ALL the VASRD's , including those not Unfitting. The military Informal PEB (IPEB) gives you a finding ONLY for the Unfitting conditions, below a combined rating of 30%= separation, 30% or above = military retirement. You again have 10 days to consult with JAG or your attorney and appeal.
If you're still unhappy with things there is the formal PEB (FPEB), then the Army Board for Corrections of Military Records (ABCMR) and finally if all else fails the Court of Federal Claims.
On the VA side, percentages matter not just for a monthly check, but also for things like Vocational Rehabilitation (Voc-Rehab) and possible Individual Unemployability (IU) if you're unable to work at all. Along with SSDI.
Combined ratings are NOT normal 1+1=2 math, it's the law of diminishing returns, so there's VA calculator to figure it out when the time comes.
If it is combat related, including caused by an instrumentality of war, or simulations of combat (FTX's) then make sure you also push for CRSC.
If you are in the Guard or Reserves, and unable to either work in your civilian job or perform drill due to your LOD injury, you should be drawing INCAP (incapacitation) pay right now. PM me if that's the case, it's my major in IDES college.
One bit of advice, start saving as much of your military pay as you can now. You will be surprised at how little the monthly check from the VA/military retirement will be, and it's better to have as much as you can in reserve, just in case. Read into that, this is a terrible time to start making payments on a new bass boat.
Welcome to the maze, just keep your spirits up, your eyes and ears open, and know at least here in the forum you're among friends and a wealth of information. Good luck.
