Veteran (VA) Disability Lawyer Serving Springfield, Illinois

You may be eligible to receive benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) if you are an eligible veteran living in Springfield, Illinois.  VA benefits may be available if you are dealing with a disability that prevents you from working or carrying out the tasks of daily life.  However, sometimes VA benefits claims are not approved on the first application.

If you received a denial of VA benefits, a veteran (VA) disability lawyer serving Springfield, Illinois from Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD may be able to represent you.  We use our knowledge and experience to appeal wrongful benefit denials.

For a free consultation on your case, call (800) 544-9144.

Springfield VA Benefit Resources

Veterans living in Springfield, Illinois may be able to contact a VA regional benefit office in St. Louis.  If you live in Springfield, there are also several VA clinics within driving distance that you may visit to seek medical treatment. We know that not all veterans in Springfield seek VA treatment.  If you decide to seek VA medical care, you may want to contact:

VA Regional Benefit Office Serving Springfield

• Louis Regional Benefit Office

VA Medical Centers Serving Springfield

• Springfield VA Clinic
• Decatur VA Clinic
• Bloomington VA Clinic

Illinois VA Statistics

According to the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics, there are 628,254 veterans living in Illinois as of the year 2017.  A relatively small number of veterans living in the state receive any form of VA compensation.  In fact, in the year 2017 only:

• 98,518 veterans received disability compensation
• 8,324 veterans received pension
• 274,589 veterans enrolled in VA healthcare system

A number of individuals also received dependency and indemnity compensation in Illinois.  Additionally, some veterans and their beneficiaries received education benefits.

If you are a Springfield veteran who has received a denial of VA benefits, you may want to get legal help on your side.  A veteran (VA) disability lawyer serving Springfield, Illinois from Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD may be able to manage your appeal.

A member of our team can review your case in a free consultation when you call at (800) 544-9144.

Constructing a VA Disability Claim Appeal

Not all VA benefit claims are approved the first time.  In many cases, veterans in Springfield receive a denial and must undergo the appeals process.

The experienced team at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD understands what it takes to build an appeal for a VA claim denial.  We know that VA considers three major categories when assessing benefit claims.  In general, you need to prove that:

You Experienced an In-Service Event, Injury, or Illness

In order to qualify for VA benefits, you must have gone through an event, injury, or illness during your time serving in the military.  This event could occur during a training exercise, while you were in combat, or at any other time while you were actively serving in a branch of the military.  A lawyer may look into your military records to gather proof that you experienced an in-service event, injury, or illness.

You Are Facing a Current Medical Condition

VA benefits may only be offered to individuals dealing with a current health condition due to their military service.  You may be required to provide an official diagnosis from a medical professional to demonstrate that you are facing a current health condition.  A lawyer cannot provide your diagnosis for you but may be able to help you get your medical information in order to present it to VA.

There is a Connection Between Your In-Service Event and Current Condition

Finally, you may only receive VA disability compensation if you candemonstrate that there is a “nexus” between your in-service event and the current medical condition you face.  Establishing this connection may allow you to seek compensation through VA.

Current VA Compensation Levels

Note that VA does not offer the same levels of compensation to every veteran that applies.  Instead, VA considers your combined disability rating to determine how much compensation you may receive.  You may be assigned a percentage between 0 and 100 based on the symptoms of your disability.

Individuals with a higher combined disability rating typically receive more VA compensation each month.

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

If your combined disability rating is over 30 percent, you may be eligible to receive additional benefits for certain dependents, such as children, parents, or a spouse.

Note that you may also qualify for Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) in some situations.  This benefit may only be available if you prove that you are unable to work at all due to a medical condition connected to an in-service event.  TDIU coverage allows you to get the maximum possible compensation, even if your combined disability rating is not 100 percent.

Call Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD Today

If you received a denial of VA disability benefits, help is available.  A veteran (VA) disability lawyer serving Springfield, Illinois from Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD may be able to investigate your wrongful denial and help you file an appeal.

For a free consultation on your case with a veterans advocate from our firm, call (800) 544-9144 today.