Veterans (VA) Disability Lawyer Serving San Francisco, CA
Are you a disabled veteran living in San Francisco, California? If your medical condition was caused by or incurred during your military service, you may be eligible for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation.
If you already filed for benefits but VA denied your claim, a Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD veterans (VA) disability attorney serving San Francisco, CA may be able to help. Reach out to CCK today at 800-544-9144 for a free case evaluation.
VA Services in San Francisco, CA
VA offers the following medical, counseling, and benefit services to San Francisco veterans:
- Medical Center: San Francisco VA Medical Center
- VA Clinic: San Francisco VA Clinic
- Vet Center: San Francisco Vet Center
- VA Regional Benefit Office: Oakland Regional Office
How to Get VA Disability Benefits in San Francisco, CA
VA offers disability compensation as a tax-free monthly monetary benefit to eligible veterans. To qualify, veterans must have proof of the following three things:
- An in-service event, injury, or illness;
- A current diagnosis of a disability by a medical professional; and
- A medical nexus, or link, between the in-service event and current disabling condition.
Establishing a medical nexus is essential to securing VA disability benefits. Veterans can request a nexus opinion from their private physician or another medical professional. VA may also schedule a compensation and pension (C&P) exam to confirm if connection between the in-service event and disabling condition is “at least as likely as not.”
VA Disability Compensation Rates
After confirming service connection, VA assigns a disability rating to the veteran’s conditions. Disability ratings – ranging from 0 to 100 percent and increasing in severity by increments of 10 – determine a veteran’s monthly compensation rate.
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
Veterans with a 30 percent rating or higher may also receive additional compensation for each qualifying dependent. Dependents can include:
- A spouse
- Children under the age of 18
- Children between the ages of 18 and 23 who are attending school
- A dependent parent
What Benefits Does a 100% Disabled Veteran Get in San Francisco, CA?
A veteran with a 100 percent disability rating and no dependents receives 3,737.85 per month from VA as of December 1st, 2023.
San Francisco veterans with total disability may also be eligible for the following:
- Medical, dental, and mental health care from VA’s Health Care Priority Group 1;
- A grant from VA to help build, modify, or buy a specially adapted home to meet a veteran’s needs;
- Military identification cards;
- Emergency care outside of VA;
- State-offered benefits (e.g., vehicle registration)
- Dependents Educational Assistance program;
- Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) services;
- And more.
Appealing a VA Denial in San Francisco, CA
If you received an unfavorable decision from VA, it is important to appeal the decision as soon as possible. Under the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) system, veterans can choose from multiple appeal options:
- Higher-Level Review: Request a review of your current claim by a senior VA employee;
- Supplemental Claim: Submit new and relevant evidence as part of a Supplemental Claim; or
- Notice of Disagreement: File a Notice of Disagreement with the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.
Should I Hire a Veterans Disability Lawyer in San Francisco, CA?
A VA disability lawyer can help take the burden of the VA appeals process off your shoulders. Veterans’ claims agents and attorneys have knowledge and experience when it comes to navigating the claims and appeals system.
Having a veterans disability lawyer on your side can help you avoid any delays in the process which, in turn, can move your VA case faster. They can also help you fully pursue your claim and get the maximum possible benefits for your medical condition or situation.
Additionally, some veterans’ disability attorneys (i.e., those at the law firm of Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick) can also represent military veterans before the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Call CCK Today for a Free Case Evaluation
If VA denied your disability claim, a Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD veterans disability lawyer serving San Francisco, CA may be able to help you with your appeal. We offer free case evaluations to veterans in need of VA legal assistance. Call us today at 800-544-9144 to learn more.
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