VA Disability Lawyer Serving Tampa, FL

If you are a veteran living in Tampa, Florida and suffering from an injury or illness due to your military service, you may be eligible for disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

If VA denied your claim, the veterans (VA) disability lawyers serving Tampa, FL at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD may be able to help.  Call CCK today at 800-544-9144 for a free case review.

VA Locations in Tampa, Florida

There are several VA resources available to veterans living in Tampa, FL, including a Veterans’ Hospital, five VA clinics, a Regional Benefit Office, and a Vet Center.

VA Hospital

The James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital offers primary care and specialty health care services to veterans in Tampa.  Specialty services include mental health care, surgery, cardiology, podiatry, spinal cord injury treatment, prosthetics, physical therapy, traumatic brain injury (TBI) treatment, and more.

VA Clinics

• Winners Circle VA Clinic
• Hidden River VA Clinic
• Forty Sixth Street South VA Clinic
• Forty Sixth Street North VA Clinic
• Bruce B. Downs Boulevard VA Clinic

Vet Center

The Tampa Vet Center provides free, non-medical, confidential help to veterans, service members, and their families.  Services include counseling for mental health conditions and connecting veterans with VA and community support.

Regional Office

The St. Petersburg Regional Office administers several VA services for veteran across Florida, including disability compensation, education programs, pension, loan guaranty, information about VA health care and eligibility for benefits, and more.  Tampa veterans can schedule virtual or in-person appointments with the Regional Office.

VA Disability Benefits

VA offers disability compensation as a tax-free monthly monetary benefit to veterans with service-connected conditions (i.e., conditions incurred in or caused by active military duty.)  To qualify for service connection, veterans generally need to provide evidence of the following three things:

• An in-service event, injury, or illness;
• A current diagnosis of a disabling condition by a medical professional; and
• A nexus, or link, between the in-service event and current disability.

To fulfill the nexus element—perhaps the most essential element of service connection—veterans can request a nexus opinion, or letter, from their treating doctor or another medical professional.  In the nexus letter, the medical professional should address whether it is “at least as likely as not” that the veteran’s disability was incurred or caused by service, and provide supporting rationale.  In addition, VA may schedule a Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam to determine if there is a connection between the in-service event and the veteran’s disability.

VA Disability Compensation Payment Rates

Once service connection is established, VA will assign veterans a disability rating ranging from 0 to 100 percent.  Generally, a veteran’s combined disability rating (i.e., the combination of each individual rating using VA math) determines their monthly compensation amount.

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

What Benefits Does a 100% Disabled Veteran Get?

A veteran with a 100 percent disability rating and no dependents receives $3,737.85 per month from VA as of December 1^st, 2023.  They may also qualify for:

• Medical, dental, and mental health care from VA’s Health Care Priority Group 1
• If needed, a grant from VA to help build, modify, or buy a specially adapted home
• Military identification cards
• Emergency care outside of VA
• Dependents’ Educational Assistance program
• Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) services
• And more.

In addition, Florida veterans with a 100 percent permanent and total (P&T) disability rating may qualify for the following state benefits:

• A free Florida driver’s license
• A free five-year hunting and fishing license
• Full homestead property tax exemption
• College educational opportunities for dependent children and spouses of veterans
• An undergraduate tuition waiver (for Purple Heart recipients or veterans with other higher combat decorations)
• A hiring preference for government jobs
• Free lifetime pass to state parks
• Assisted living and nursing homes. The cost of care is based on the veteran’s income.

Appealing a VA Denial in Tampa, Florida

If VA denied your claim for service-connected disability benefits, you have the right to appeal.  Under the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA), veterans have multiple appeal options from which they can select the one best suited to the unique needs of their case.  These are:

• 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.

A VA disability lawyer serving Tampa 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 VA’s claims and appeals system.

Was Your Disability Claim Denied? A VA Attorney Serving Tampa, FL May Be Able to Help

If VA denied you disability benefits, a Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD veterans (VA) disability lawyer serving Tampa, Florida may be able to help you secure the compensation you deserve.  Call 800-544-9144 today for a free case evaluation.