Veterans (VA) Disability Lawyer Serving Hawaii
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers compensation to veterans who have current disabilities related to their military service. If you live in Hawaii and have a service-related disabling condition, you may be eligible for monthly disability compensation.
Unfortunately, veterans are often denied service-connected disability benefits. If VA denied you compensation, a Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick veterans disability lawyer serving Hawaii may be able to help you file an appeal.
At CCK, we want to help you get the benefits you deserve. Call 800-544-9144 today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a member of our team.
Hawaii VA Benefit Resources
There are a variety of VA resources in Hawaii, including a Regional Benefit Office, a VA Medical Center, and several VA clinics.
VA Regional Benefit Offices
- Honolulu: Honolulu Regional Office
VA Medical Centers
- Honolulu: Spark M. Matsunaga VA Medical Center
VA Outpatient Clinics
- Ewa Beach: Leeward Oahu VA Clinic
- Hilo: Hilo VA Clinic
- Kahului: Maui VA Clinic
- Kailua-Kona: Kailua-Kona VA Clinic
- Kaneohe: Windward VA Clinic
- Kaunakakai: Molokai VA Clinic
- Lanai City: Lanai VA Clinic
- Lihue: Lihue VA Clinic
Hawaii VA Statistics
Hawaii has nearly 113,000 veterans living on the islands, representing more than 10 percent of the state’s population. Almost 26,000 of these veterans receive VA disability compensation. More than 46,000 are enrolled in VA’s health care system, and nearly 27,000 have sought care at a VA clinic.
More than 44 percent of Hawaii’s veterans are 65 or older and approximately 15 percent are military retirees.
Building a Strong Claim for Benefits in Hawaii
The success of your claim for service-connected compensation depends on these three things:
- You have a diagnosis of a current disability.
- You have evidence of an event, illness, or injury during military service.
- You have a nexus, or link, between your current condition and military service.
The nexus must prove that your condition is “at least as likely as not” the result of your military service. An opinion from a medical professional can qualify as a nexus. Citations of specific in-service events, which can be found in your medical and military records, may also be used to establish this link.
VA Disability Compensation Levels
VA assigns a disability rating based on the severity of your condition. If you have a mild or moderate disability, you may receive a lower rating, resulting in a smaller amount of monthly compensation. If you have very severe symptoms due to your service-connected condition, your rating should be higher, resulting in a higher compensation amount.
As of December 1st, 2024, 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 in Hawaii?
A veteran with a 100 percent disability rating and no dependents receives $3,332.06 per month from VA as of December 1st, 2021. They may also be eligible for additional benefits, including:
- 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)
- Eligibility for Dependents Educational Assistance
- Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment services
- And more.
Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability (TDUI)
Veterans who are unable to work due to their service-connected conditions but do not have a 100 percent rating may qualify for total disability based on individual unemployability, or TDIU. TDIU offers monthly benefits at the 100 percent schedular rate to veterans who are unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.
Fighting for VA Disability Compensation on Appeal
There are currently three ways to appeal a VA decision:
- 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.
It may be beneficial to get assistance from a veterans disability lawyer. The CCK veterans (VA) disability attorneys serving Hawaii can recommend the best appeal lane for your unique situation and even file the appeal on your behalf.
It is also important to note that VA regulates how much a lawyer or agent can be paid under 38 CFR § 14.636. A veterans’ representative will typically charge on a contingency basis, meaning they will only take a previously agreed upon percentage of recovered retroactive benefits. According to VA regulation, they are not allowed to charge fees based on any future benefits.
CCK Is Here to Help Hawaii Veterans
Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick veterans (VA) disability attorneys help Hawaii veterans get the benefits they deserve. Our team has decades of experience representing veterans before VA, the Board of Veterans’ Appeals, and the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. We may be able to put our expertise to work for you.
To speak with a member of our team, call our office today at 800-544-9144.
Hawaii Blog Posts
- Appeals to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
During this week’s Facebook LIVE installment, attorneys Christian McTarnaghan and April Donahower are joined by one of CCK’s partners, Barbara Cook, to discuss the process involved in bringing a VA benefits appeal to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Play What is the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC)? The Court of Appeals […]
- Cholangiocarcinoma (Bile Duct Cancer) and Veterans of the Vietnam War
What is Cholangiocarcinoma (Bile Duct Cancer)? Cholangiocarcinoma (i.e. bile duct cancer) is a cancer of the biliary duct system, which includes the gallbladder, bile ducts, and certain cells inside the liver. This disease often goes undetected for long periods of time, as symptoms do not appear for nearly 30-40 years in most cases. However, when […]
- Multiple Sclerosis: Veterans with MS and VA Disability Benefits
What is Multiple Sclerosis (MS)? Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system in which your immune system attacks the protective myelin sheath that covers nerve fibers. This interferes with the transmission of nerve signals between the brain, spinal cord, and the rest of the body. Veterans with MS may be entitled […]