Does the VA accept lay evidence in a disability claim?

Details

• Competent lay evidence covers observable facts: ringing in the ears, pain, limping, panic attacks, an in-service fall, a change in behavior.
• 38 CFR § 3.159(a)(2) defines competent lay evidence; the Federal Circuit's Jandreau and Buchanan decisions govern when it is sufficient on its own.
• Buddy statements are strongest when they describe firsthand observations with dates and specifics rather than conclusions.
• Lay evidence is often decisive in MST claims, in-service injury claims with missing records, and continuity-of-symptoms arguments.