Claim Situation
Paratroopers and empty records: proving jump-related injuries
· Claim Situation
The situation
Hard landings rarely made it to sick call. For airborne Veterans, the job itself is strong evidence.
Prove the jumps
- Parachutist badge on the DD-214.
- Jump logs, jump pay records, airborne school records.
- Unit assignments to airborne units.
Nature of service counts
VA must consider whether your claimed injury fits the places, types and circumstances of your service (38 U.S.C. 1154(a); 38 CFR 3.303).
Describe specific incidents
- Hard landings, tree landings, equipment malfunctions.
- Who was there, and when.
- How long the pain lasted and how you managed it.
Common claimed conditions
- Knees, ankles, hips.
- Lumbar and cervical spine.
- Radiculopathy secondary to the spine.
See back and spine guide.
Get the opinion
A medical opinion should address repeated impact loading from jumps, not just one injury.
Get free help
You never have to pay to file an initial VA claim. Free help: a VSO such as DAV, VFW or the American Legion, or a VA-accredited representative.
Educational only, not legal or medical advice. We are not VA-accredited. No one can promise an outcome; VA decides each claim on its own evidence. Rules and rates change; check the linked VA and eCFR sources.