VA Form 21-4138
Statement in Support of Claim
The general-purpose written statement form: your own words, on the record, attached to your claim.
Opens the official VA.gov page, always the authority on the current version and instructions.
When a veteran needs to tell the VA something in their own words, how a condition started, how it affects daily life, or context the records do not show, this is the classic form for it.
The VA has newer, more specific statement forms (like 21-10210 for lay and witness statements), but 21-4138 remains widely used and searched for.
Worth knowing
- Any written statement becomes part of your permanent claim file.
- Specific, dated, factual statements serve a file better than general ones; MusterVault's journal exists to keep those details from being lost.
Keep your copy where you can find it
Every form you send becomes part of your story. MusterVault keeps your completed copies, decision letters, and records organized and encrypted on your own computer, so the next deadline finds you ready. No cloud, no account.
Informational only: what this form is and where it lives, not advice about whether or when to file it. A free accredited VSO can advise on your situation. MusterVault organizes records, never gives claims advice, and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.