Privacy Policy

1. About This Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how BuddySign collects, uses, stores, and handles information. BuddySign is currently in private beta and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. BuddySign does not claim to be HIPAA compliant, FedRAMP compliant, ESIGN compliant, VA-approved, or an official VA system.

2. Information We Store

BuddySign stores limited account, statement, witness contact, and completion-related information needed to operate the service, provide support, maintain security, and document user-requested activity.

BuddySign does not intentionally collect more information than is needed to operate the service. BuddySign does not retain sensitive identification information entered only for optional document-output generation after that output is created.

3. Optional Document Output

BuddySign offers an optional document output feature. Sensitive identification information entered to use this feature is used solely to generate the requested output and is not stored or retained by BuddySign after generation is complete.

Do not use this feature on a shared or public computer.

Veterans are responsible for reviewing all generated documents for accuracy before use or submission.

4. Authentication

BuddySign uses email-based authentication. No passwords are stored by BuddySign. Session management uses standard browser mechanisms. BuddySign does not use advertising or tracking cookies.

5. Analytics and Tracking

BuddySign does not currently use third-party analytics, advertising tracking, pixels, fingerprinting, or behavioral tracking tools. If this changes, this Privacy Policy will be updated.

6. Email

BuddySign sends transactional emails required to operate the service. These are processed through a third-party email delivery provider which may retain delivery records according to its own terms and privacy policy.

7. SMS / Mobile Phone Information

If BuddySign SMS delivery is used, a mobile phone number may be used only to send a one-time transactional notification requested by a BuddySign user. BuddySign does not sell or share mobile phone numbers or SMS consent information for marketing or promotional purposes.

Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Recipients may reply STOP to opt out or HELP for help.

8. Technical Logs

BuddySign uses server-side error logging to detect and diagnose technical failures. These logs do not intentionally record statement text, veteran names, buddy names, or claim content. Infrastructure logs are subject to the retention policies of our hosting provider.

9. Documents and Output

BuddySign does not retain PDF files or generated output on its servers after delivery. See Section 3 for details on how identification information used for optional output generation is handled.

10. Third-Party Infrastructure

BuddySign uses third-party infrastructure providers for authentication, hosting, email, database, and optional SMS delivery. These providers may process limited information needed to operate the service according to their own terms and privacy policies. Using these providers does not make BuddySign HIPAA compliant, FedRAMP compliant, ESIGN compliant, or VA-approved.

11. How We Use Information

BuddySign uses information to operate the service, send required notifications, generate optional output on request, provide support, respond to deletion requests, detect technical failures, protect against abuse and security threats, and comply with legal obligations.

12. Access to Information

Access to BuddySign data is intended to be limited to those who need it to operate, maintain, support, secure, or troubleshoot the service. BuddySign does not knowingly sell user information.

13. Data Retention

BuddySign retains records as long as needed to operate the service, provide support, maintain security, respond to deletion requests, comply with legal obligations, or preserve basic business records.

14. Deletion Requests

To request deletion of account-level information, email hello@vaclaimbattlebuddy.com with the subject line: Data Deletion Request.

Deletion requests are handled manually and may not be immediate. We will make reasonable, good-faith efforts to locate and delete applicable information, unless retention is required for legal, security, operational, or dispute-resolution reasons.

Do not include Social Security numbers, full medical records, or full VA claim files in your email.

15. Security

BuddySign uses reasonable technical and organizational safeguards to protect information. No system can be guaranteed completely secure. Use caution when entering, downloading, or sharing claim documents.

16. Sensitive Information

VA claim materials can include sensitive personal, medical, and identifying information. Use caution when entering, emailing, sharing, downloading, or storing documents created with BuddySign.

17. Children

BuddySign is intended for use by adults. It is not intended for children under 13.

18. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The updated version will be posted on this page with a new effective date.

19. Contact

For privacy questions, support requests, or deletion requests, contact: hello@vaclaimbattlebuddy.com