Veterans (VA) Disability Lawyer Serving Honolulu, HI

Are you a veteran living in Honolulu, Hawaii with a disability, illness, or injury related to your military service?  If so, you may qualify for compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).  VA offers disability benefits to veterans who submit claims for their service-related conditions.

If VA denied your claim for benefits, a Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick veterans (VA) disability lawyer serving Honolulu may be able to help you file an appeal.  Our team of dedicated attorneys and claims agents has decades of experience helping veterans secure their well-deserved benefits.

Call CCK today at 800-544-9144 to schedule your free consultation.

VA Facilities Serving Honolulu, Hawaii

There are several VA facilities located in Honolulu, HI that provide resources to disabled veterans.  These include a Regional Office, a VA Medical Center, and a Vet Center.

Regional Office

The Honolulu Regional Office administers several VA programs and services for veterans living across Hawaii.  These include disability compensation, education programs, loan guaranty, VA pension, and Veterans Readiness and Employment.  The Honolulu Regional Office also provides services to veterans, service members, and their families living in Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

VA Medical Center

The Spark M. Matsunaga VA Medical Center provides primary care and specialty health services to veterans living in Honolulu and the surrounding areas in Oahu, HI.  Specialty services include geriatrics, homeless veteran care, mental health care, PTSD care, and more health programs.

Vet Center

The Honolulu Vet Center provides counseling for the effects of military trauma, information about VA services and benefits, and referral to different community resources for veterans.  The Vet Center currently offers in-person and telehealth appointments.

How to Get VA Compensation in Honolulu, HI

If you are a veteran living in Honolulu, you can secure VA disability compensation if you have 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.

Establishing a nexus is essential to securing disability compensation from VA.  A medical professional can provide a nexus opinion for your claim.  VA will also likely schedule a compensation and pension (C&P) exam to determine if there is a connection between your service and your disability.  They may also use this exam, among other evidence, to evaluate the severity of your disabling condition for rating purposes.

VA Disability Compensation Rates

Once service connection is established, VA will assign a disability rating to your condition ranging from 0 to 100 percent.  If you have more than one service-connected condition your combined disability rating (i.e., the combination of each individual rating using VA math) will determine your 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

Veterans with a 100 percent disability rating may also qualify for additional benefits from VA, such as enrollment in VA’s Health Care Priority Group 1, Dependents’ Educational Assistance, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment services, a grant for a specially adapted home, military identification cards, and more.

Appealing a VA Denial of Benefits in Honolulu, HI

If VA denied your claim for benefits, there are three ways to appeal the decision:

• Request a Higher-Level Review of your current claim by a senior VA employee;
• Submit new and relevant evidence as part of a Supplemental Claim; or
• File a Notice of Disagreement with the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.

Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick may be able to assist you with this process.  Our experienced attorneys and accredited claims agents serving Honolulu, HI know the ins and outs of VA’s appeal process.

Should I Get a Veterans (VA) Disability Attorney?

If you are appealing a VA decision, hiring a veterans (VA) disability lawyer can be extremely beneficial.  An attorney can help you gather relevant evidence to boost your appeal and handle written and verbal communication with VA on your behalf.

It is important to note that VA regulates who can represent a veteran under 38 CFR § 14.636.  The lawyer or claims agent representing you must be accredited by VA.  The accreditation process exists to ensure that veterans and their family members receive skilled and informed representation throughout the VA appeals process.

VA also regulates how much an attorney can be paid.  Veterans (VA) disability lawyers or accredited claims agents can only charge fees based on recovered retroactive benefits.  They are not allowed to charge fees based on any future benefits.

Get Assistance from a Veterans (VA) Disability Lawyer Serving Honolulu

Was your claim for VA benefits denied by VA?  If you are a veteran living in Honolulu with a service-related disability, a veterans (VA) disability lawyer serving Honolulu, HI may be able to help you appeal the decision.  Call CCK today at 800-544-9144 for a free consultation with a member of our team.