Veterans (VA) Disability Lawyer Serving Clinton, IA

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides disability compensation to veterans with disabling conditions related to their military service.  If you have a service-related condition, you may be eligible for such benefits.

However, if VA denies your claim for disability benefits, you may need to file an appeal.  A veterans (VA) disability attorney serving Clinton, Iowa at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick may be able to help you with the appeals process.  Reach out to CCK today at 800-544-9144 for a free consultation with a member of our team.

VA Facilities Serving Clinton, Iowa

Although there are no VA facilities located directly in Clinton, veterans living in the Clinton area can access several VA resources throughout Iowa, including a Regional Office, a VA medical center, and VA clinics.

Regional Office

The Des Moines Regional Office administers a variety of veteran programs, including information about VA health care, VA benefits, outreach programs, and public affairs.

Clinton, Iowa veterans can schedule a virtual meeting, a telephone call, or an in-person interview at the Regional Office.  Appointments can be made through the Des Moines Regional Office’s online scheduling service or by phone at 515-323-7464.

VA Medical Center

The Iowa City VA Medical Center is the closest VA Medical Center to Clinton, Iowa.  It provides a variety of health services to veterans, including primary care, mental health care, neurology services, radiology, and audiology and speech services.  The clinic is open 24/7 and can be reached by phone call or by scheduling an appointment online.

Iowa VA Clinics

• Burlington: Burlington VA Clinic
• Carroll: Carroll VA Clinic
• Cedar Rapids: Cedar Rapids VA Clinic
• Davenport: Quad Cities VA Clinic
• Decorah: Decorah VA Clinic
• Dubuque: Dubuque VA Clinic
• Fort Dodge: Fort Dodge VA Clinic
• Knoxville: Knoxville VA Clinic
• Marshalltown: Marshalltown VA Clinic
• Mason City: Mason City VA Clinic
• Ottumwa: Ottumwa VA Clinic
• Shenandoah: Shenandoah VA Clinic
• Spirit Lake: Spirit Lake VA Clinic
• Waterloo: Waterloo VA Clinic

How to Get VA Disability Benefits in Clinton, Iowa

To qualify for disability benefits, Clinton veterans must 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.

Fulfilling the nexus element is essential to proving service connection.  VA typically schedules a Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam to determine if a link exists between the in-service event and your current disability, but you can also visit your private physician to obtain a nexus opinion.  In the nexus opinion, the physician should state whether your condition is “at least as likely as not” connected to your military service.

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 multiple conditions, each condition will receive an individual rating.  The ratings will then be added together using VA math to get a combined disability rating.  This combined disability rating will determine your 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 combined disability rating of 30 percent or higher may be eligible for compensation for any qualifying dependents.  Dependents include:

• A spouse
• Children under the age of 18
• Children between the ages of 18 and 23 who are attending school
• A dependent parent

How to Appeal a VA Decision in Clinton, Iowa

If VA denied you disability compensation, there are three ways to file an appeal under the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) system:

• Higher-Level Reviewlane: Requesting a review of your current claim by a senior VA employee;
• Supplemental Claimlane: Submitting new and relevant evidence as part of a supplemental claim; or,
• Notice of Disagreement: Filing a Notice of Disagreement with the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.

A CCK veterans (VA) disability lawyer serving Clinton, Iowa may be able to assist you in choosing the best lane for your situation.

How Much Can a Veterans (VA) Disability Lawyer Charge?

If you are considering reaching out to a veterans (VA) attorney, it is important to know how much it costs.  VA regulates who can represent a veteran and how much they can be paid under 38 CFR § 14.636.

An accredited veterans (VA) disability attorney typically charges on a contingency basis, meaning they will take a previously agreed upon percentage of recovered retroactive benefits.  Fees equal to or below 20 percent are considered reasonable by VA, while anything above 33.3 percent is presumed unreasonable.  It is illegal to charge fees based on any future benefits.

CCK Is Here to Help Clinton, IA Veterans

If VA denied your claim for benefits, a Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD veterans (VA) disability attorney serving Clinton, Iowa may be able to assist you in appealing the decision.  Call CCK today at 800-544-9144 to schedule a free consultation with a member of our team.