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Built by a fellow Veteran for Veterans

Draft VA-ready letters in minutes, not weeks, with Zero Dark Claims.

Turn your story into a clear, structured VA personal statement, nexus outline, or buddy/lay witness letter you can review with your doctor, VSO, attorney, or accredited rep. Built by a Veteran, used by Veterans in San Diego and across the U.S.

Start My Claim → Start drafting a letter How to talk about daily impact
No Veteran data stored. Ever.

Zero Dark Claims does not provide legal, medical, or financial advice. This tool drafts content for you to review and edit with a qualified professional.

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Zero Dark Claims
VA Letter Builder

A Veteran-built tool to help you walk into exams and meetings already holding a clear, written story.

Start My Claim →
LETTER TYPES
12 Letter Types
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Primary Claim Letters
  • 📄 Personal Statement 21-4138
  • 📄 Nexus / Medical Opinion
  • 📄 PTSD / Mental Health 21-0781
  • 📄 Secondary Service Connection
  • 📄 Increased Rating Statement
Supporting Statements
  • ⭐ Lay / Buddy / Witness 21-10210
Appeals & Disagreements
  • ⚖️ Disagreement / Appeal 20-0996/10182
  • ⚖️ Clear & Unmistakable Error (CUE)
  • ⚖️ Effective Date / Retroactive Benefits
Special Claims
  • 🏅 Individual Unemployability (IU) 21-8940
  • 🏅 Aid & Attendance / Housebound
  • 🏅 Caregiver Program Support Letter

Answer a few focused questions about your service, condition, and how it affects your life. The tool organizes your answers into VA-style language and structure you can download and edit.

  • ✔ Designed specifically for VA disability claims
  • ✔ No sign-in, no data stored on our side
  • ✔ Downloadable drafts you control and share
"I want Veterans to walk into their C&P exams and meetings with reps already holding a clear, written story—not starting from scratch."
Mission

Built by a Veteran, for other Veterans.

I built Zero Dark Claims as a Veteran for other Veterans, so we don't keep getting bled by claim sharks who charge outrageous fees for something we can and should understand ourselves.

I've watched buddies hand over years of hard‑earned back pay to people who barely understand how the VA thinks or what a rater is actually looking for in a claim.

This site is about passing that knowledge laterally—vet to vet—so you can file stronger claims, keep your money in your own pocket, and get the compensation you've earned without being taken advantage of.

How it works

Built around the way the VA actually reads your file.

Zero Dark Claims helps you talk about your service, symptoms, and daily impact in a way that lines up with how VA decision makers review statements and evidence.

1

Choose your letter type

Personal statement in support of claim, medical nexus outline to bring to your provider, or a lay/witness statement matching VA Form 21-10210 style language.

2

Answer guided prompts

Fill in simple fields about your branch, service dates, duty station, in‑service event or exposure, when symptoms started, and how they affect your life now.

3

Download and review

Instantly generate a draft PDF you can print, sign, and use with your VSO, attorney, or doctor—or copy text into VA Forms and online submissions.

Writing stronger statements

How to describe how your condition affects daily life.

When a VA rater reviews your file, they are not just asking "Do you have this condition?" They are asking "How bad is it, and how does it limit your day-to-day life?" Clear details about your routine help them match your situation to the rating criteria.

Instead of only saying "I have back pain" or "I have anxiety," spell out what that looks like in your daily life:

  • How far you can walk before you have to stop or rest.
  • How long you can sit, stand, or drive before pain or symptoms force you to change positions.
  • How often you miss work, school, or family events because of your condition.
  • What tasks you used to do easily (PT, sports, chores, hobbies) that you now avoid or need help with.
  • How your sleep, mood, or concentration are affected.

VA raters are looking for specific, repeatable examples that show how often symptoms happen, how long they last, and how severe they are. Phrases like "several times a week," "most days," or "I have to lie down after 20–30 minutes of standing" are more useful than vague statements like "it hurts a lot."

When you use the letter builder, try to describe what a "good day" looks like, what a "bad day" looks like, how often each happens, and what you do differently now compared to before your condition started. That level of detail helps the rater see your real limitations, not just a diagnosis code.

Veteran feedback

What other Veterans are saying.

Early users are using Zero Dark Claims to walk into exams and meetings already holding a clear written story instead of trying to remember everything on the spot.

"Having a clean personal statement draft before my C&P made it way easier to stay focused and not forget key events."

— Army Veteran, OIF/OEF

"The nexus outline gave my provider a clear starting point. She appreciated that it was already in VA-style language."

— Marine Corps Veteran

"I sent the lay statement draft to my spouse and squadmate and they were able to quickly tweak it to match what they've seen."

— Navy Veteran
Local focus

Serving San Diego Veterans.

Zero Dark Claims is built for U.S. military Veterans nationwide and is used by many Veterans across San Diego County — from active-duty transitions at MCAS Miramar, Naval Base San Diego, Camp Pendleton, and Naval Base Coronado, to long-time Veterans working their claims years after EAS.

Use our VA Letter Builder to draft your personal statement, nexus outline, or buddy/lay witness letter, then take the draft to a VA-accredited representative — for example, the San Diego County Office of Military and Veterans Affairs (OMVA), 211 San Diego's Courage to Call, or a VSO listed by the VA San Diego Regional Benefit Office. We are not VA-accredited and do not file claims for you.

See our San Diego Veteran resources page for a curated list of public, official help options in the region.

Draft before you walk in

Show up to your appointment at OMVA, a VSO, or a private VA-accredited attorney in San Diego already holding a clear personal statement or nexus outline — not a blank page.

Open the Letter Builder →

Local resources, official sources

We link out to county, state, and federal Veteran resources serving San Diego — including OMVA, 211 San Diego, and the VA San Diego Regional Benefit Office's VSO list.

San Diego Veteran Resources →

Zero Dark Claims is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the San Diego County Office of Military and Veterans Affairs, 211 San Diego, or any VSO. Information about third-party organizations is for reference only.

Veteran Tools

Everything you need in one place.

All tools are session-only — nothing you enter is stored, transmitted, or kept after you close your browser. Your story stays yours.

✍️

VA Letter Builder

Draft personal statements, nexus outlines, buddy statements, appeals letters, TDIU statements, and more — 12 letter types with guided step-by-step prompts. Download as a formatted PDF.

Launch Letter Builder →
📂

C-File Analyzer

Enter information from your C-File or service records and get a personalized filing strategy — best claim path, evidence gaps, appeal options, and priority actions. Session-only, zero data stored.

Open C-File Analyzer →
🎖️

VA Assistant

Your all-in-one VA knowledge base. Ask anything — disability ratings, PACT Act, appeals, C&P exam tips, education benefits, housing, mental health, business resources, state benefits, and more.

Open VA Assistant →

Looking for the letter builder? Click below to open it directly in a secure window.

Launch Zero Dark Claims Letter Builder
FAQ

Questions Veterans ask most.

Do you store any of my information?
No. All tools are designed so your inputs stay within your browser session only. We do not create accounts, store your identifying data, or keep copies of the letters, analyses, or chat conversations you generate. Your session clears when you close the browser.
Is this legal or medical advice?
No. Zero Dark Claims is an educational drafting and guidance tool. It does not replace advice from a VSO, accredited agent, attorney, doctor, or mental health professional. Always review your letters and claim strategy with a qualified professional before submission.
Can I use the drafts with my VSO or attorney?
Yes. The drafts are designed to be shared and edited with your VSO, attorney, or other representative so they can adjust language, add evidence, and ensure everything matches your case strategy.
What is the C-File Analyzer?
The C-File Analyzer reviews information from your claims file and service records to recommend the strongest filing path — whether that's a Supplemental Claim, HLR appeal, TDIU, PACT Act presumptive, or something else. Everything you enter stays session-only and is never stored.
What can the VA Assistant help me with?
The VA Assistant covers the full scope of veteran benefits and resources — disability claims, the appeals process, C&P exam tips, rating math, PACT Act, education benefits (GI Bill, Voc Rehab), VA home loans, mental health resources, crisis support, state benefits, and veteran-owned business resources.
Will you guarantee my claim is approved?
No tool or person can guarantee an outcome. What we can do is help you present your story clearly and consistently so decision makers can better understand your service, your conditions, and how they affect your life.
Do you help Veterans in San Diego?
Yes. Zero Dark Claims is built for U.S. military Veterans nationwide and is widely used by Veterans in San Diego County. The tool helps you draft your own VA personal statements, nexus letter outlines, and buddy/lay witness letters that you can review with a San Diego-area VA-accredited VSO, attorney, or your own doctor before filing. We are not VA-accredited and do not file claims for you.
Where can San Diego Veterans get free, in-person help filing a VA claim?
San Diego County's Office of Military and Veterans Affairs (OMVA) helps Veterans file VA disability claims and connects them to local services (HQ 5055 Ruffin Road, San Diego, CA 92123; main line 1-866-726-8831; Vet Connect 858-694-3222). 211 San Diego runs the Courage to Call helpline at 1-877-698-7838 for active-duty service members, Veterans, reservists, guard members, and their families. The VA San Diego Regional Benefit Office also publishes a list of VA-accredited VSOs you can work with — see our San Diego Veteran resources page.
Is Zero Dark Claims affiliated with the VA San Diego office or any VSO?
No. Zero Dark Claims is an independent Veteran-built drafting tool. We are not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the VA San Diego Regional Benefit Office, San Diego County OMVA, 211 San Diego, or any specific VSO or law firm. We encourage Veterans to review drafts with a VA-accredited representative or attorney before filing.