Veterans (VA) Disability Lawyer Serving Tennessee
If you are a veteran living in Tennessee and have a disability you believe is due to your time in service, you could be eligible to receive monthly VA disability compensation. Unfortunately, VA may issue denials of disability benefits.
A veterans disability lawyer serving Tennessee at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD may be able to help you file an appeal. To speak with a member of our team, call us at 800-544-9144.
Tennessee VA Benefit Resources
Tennessee VA Regional Benefit Office
- Nashville: Nashville Regional Benefit Office
Tennessee VA Medical Centers
- Memphis: Memphis VA Medical Center
- Mountain Home: Mountain Home VAMC/Johnson City
- Murfreesboro: Tennessee Valley Healthcare System – Alvin C. York (Murfreesboro) Campus
- Nashville: Tennessee Valley Healthcare System – Nashville Campus
Tennessee VA Outpatient Clinics
- Chattanooga: Chattanooga VA Clinic
- Chattanooga: Pointe Center Outpatient Clinic
- Cookeville: Cookeville, Tennessee OPC
- McMinnville: McMinnville, Tennessee OPC
- Nashville: Charlotte Avenue (Nashville) VA Clinic
- Nashville: Women Veterans Healthcare Center
Tennessee VA Statistics
As of 2016, Tennessee has:
- Nearly 475,000 veterans (almost 10 percent of the state’s population)
- More than 110,000 veterans who receive VA disability benefits
- More than 213,000 veterans enrolled in VA’s health care system (of which 145,000 have sought treatment at a VA health center)
- 45 percent of Tennessee’s veterans are 65 or older, and more than 11 percent are military retirees
How to Receive VA Disability Benefits in Tennessee
To receive service-connected compensation, you must prove three things to VA:
- Show you have a current, diagnosed condition.
- Establish that you experienced an event, injury, or illness during your service.
- We must provide a “nexus.”
A Current, Diagnosed Disability
You must have a current diagnosis of a disability from an appropriate healthcare professional. Unlike the Social Security Administration’s SSDI benefits, VA does not require you to be totally disabled to receive benefits. Instead, you may receive VA benefits for a disability that is partially disabling.
You Experienced an Event, Injury, or Illness
Next, you must show that you experienced an event, injury, or illness that either caused or contributed to your current diagnosed condition. The event could be an injury that occurred either during a training exercise or in combat. It could also involve being exposed to toxic chemicals or experiencing a traumatic event.
Providing a “Nexus”
A “nexus” is a connection between your current disability and the event, injury, or illness that occurred during your military service. To establish a positive nexus, a qualified medical professional must state it is “at least as likely as not” that your current diagnosis is due to your military service.
VA Disability Compensation Levels
VA disability ratings vary based on the severity of your conditions. Your combined VA disability rating determines the amount of monthly compensation you receive. The higher your rating is, the more you receive in monthly benefits. VA’s rating scale ranges from 0 to 100 percent, with compensation beginning at 10 percent.
As of December 1st, 2023 the VA disability rate benefit amounts are as follows:
- 0 percent disability rating: $0.00 per month
- 10 percent disability rating: $171.23 per month
- 20 percent disability rating: $338.49 per month
- 30 percent disability rating: $524.31 per month
- 40 percent disability rating: $755.28 per month
- 50 percent disability rating: $1,075.16 per month
- 60 percent disability rating: $1,361.88 per month
- 70 percent disability rating: $1,716.28 per month
- 80 percent disability rating: $1,995.01 per month
- 90 percent disability rating: $2,241.91 per month
- 100 percent disability rating: $3,737.85 per month
With a combined rating of 30 percent or higher, you may receive additional compensation on behalf of qualified dependents living in your home. Qualifying dependents may include your spouse, minor children or children in school, or dependent parents.
What if I Cannot Afford a VA Disability Lawyer Serving Tennessee?
If you are worried about hiring a VA disability lawyer because you do not think you can afford it, keep in mind that we work on a contingency basis. That means we do not get paid until you do. For a free evaluation, call 800-544-9144 today.
Call 800-544-9144 To Speak with a Team Member
At Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD, we are committed to helping Tennessee veterans fight for the disability benefits they deserve. We offer a free evaluation. You can speak with a team member by calling 800-544-9144.
Tennessee Blog Posts
- VA Diagnostic Codes: What They Are and How They Work
What is the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD)? The Department of Veterans Affairs uses the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD) to assign diagnostic codes and disability ratings for service-connected conditions. The VASRD is located in Part 4 of Title 38 in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations. Specifically, the VASRD contains the disabilities […]
- Protected VA Disability Ratings: What They Are and When They Take Effect
What Are VA Disability Ratings? If a veteran experiences an injury or illness as a result of their military service, they may be eligible for service connection. When a veteran’s condition becomes service-connected, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will issue a disability rating that determines the amount of disability compensation the veteran will receive. […]
- How Does VA Disability Back Pay Work?
VA disability back pay is the monies owed to veterans from the effective date of their claim, to the date they were granted those benefits. Due to its backlog of disability compensation claims, the VA can often take months or years to grant benefits. The longer the VA takes to decide your claim, the more […]