Continuity of Symptomatology
VA Terminology Definition
Plain English Definition
Showing you've had ongoing symptoms from service to the present day - an alternative way to prove service connection for chronic conditions.
Why This Matters
For certain chronic conditions, you can establish service connection by showing continuous symptoms since service, even without medical treatment records for every year. Lay statements can support continuity.
Example
Your STRs show back pain in 2005. Medical records are sparse until 2015, but your statement and buddy statements describe continuous back pain throughout those years. This continuity supports service connection.