Veterans (VA) Disability Lawyer Serving Augusta, Maine
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers disability compensation to veterans suffering from service-related injuries or illnesses. If you are a veteran living in Augusta, Maine with a disability related to your military service, you may qualify for these benefits.
If VA denied your claim for compensation, a Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD veterans (VA) disability lawyer serving Augusta, Maine may be able to help you appeal the decision.
Call CCK today at 800-544-9144 for a free case review.
VA Resources Serving Augusta, Maine
Veterans living in Augusta, Maine have access to a VA Regional Benefit Office and a VA Medical Center, both located in Augusta.
Regional Benefit Office
The Togus Regional Benefit Office in Augusta, Maine offers veterans information on how to file a claim or appeal. It also provides information and assistance for programs such as Veteran Readiness and Employment, Pension, Outreach, Education and Training, and more.
Veterans can learn more by calling the office at 800-827-1000.
VA Medical Center
The VA Maine Healthcare System in Augusta, Maine offers a variety of health services, such as primary care, geriatrics and extended care, mental health care, spinal cord injury services, and more.
Veterans living in Augusta, Maine can schedule an appointment by phone or online. The VA Maine Healthcare System also offers telephone care, which can be reached at 877-421-8263, extension 7490.
Other Facilities
Getting VA Disability Compensation in Augusta, Maine
To qualify for VA disability compensation, you must show proof of the following three things:
- An in-service event, injury, or illness;
- A current diagnosis of a disability by a medical professional; and
- A nexus, or link, between the in-service event and current condition.
Once you establish service connection, VA assigns a disability rating to the disabling condition. Disability ratings range from 0 to 100 and increase by increments of 10. Generally, the more severe the symptoms, the higher the rating.
VA assigns veterans with multiple service-connected disabilities a combined disability rating, in which the individual ratings are “added” together using VA math. This combined disability rating will determine your monthly benefit amount.
2021 VA Disability Compensation Rates
A 100 percent disabled veteran living Augusta, Maine with no dependents receives $3,332.06 per month as of December 2021.
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
Veterans with a 30 percent rating or higher and qualifying dependents may also receive additional compensation.
Appealing a VA Rating Decision in Augusta, Maine
If VA denied your initial claim for disability compensation, there are three ways you can 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.
If VA denies your appeal for benefits, you can file another appeal through a different appeal lane. This CCK interactive tool can help you determine which lane to choose next if this occurs.
Should I Get a Veterans (VA) Disability Attorney Serving Augusta, Maine?
A veterans (VA) disability attorney may be able to assist you in filing an appeal and navigating the entire VA appeals process.
It is important to note that VA regulates who can represent a veteran and how much they can be paid. Veterans (VA) disability lawyers or accredited claims agents can only charge fees based on recovered retroactive benefits. It is illegal for them to take a percentage of your future VA compensation.
Fees equal to or below 20 percent are considered reasonable by VA, while anything above 33.3 percent is presumed unreasonable.
How CCK Can Help
The veterans (VA) disability lawyers and advocates serving Augusta, Maine at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD are dedicated to helping veterans secure the disability benefits they are rightfully owed.
If VA denied your claim for benefits, reach out to CCK today to see if we may be able to help you navigate the appeals process and communicate with VA on your behalf.
Call 800-544-9144 for a complimentary consultation
Augusta Blog Posts
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Pyramiding: How to avoid stacking your VA ratingsPyramiding is the VA term for rating the same disability – or same manifestation (i.e. symptom) of a disability – twice. The term comes from a federal law – “Avoidance of pyramiding” – that prohibits the practice in VA disability claims. The rule sounds simple enough, but disabilities can manifest in unusual ways. A veteran’s […]
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Tips to Complete VA Form 21-4192: Employment InformationWhat Is VA Form 21-4192? The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) uses VA Form 21-4192, Request for Employment Information in Connection with Claim for Disability Benefits, to obtain information on a veteran’s employment history. The form is intended to get basic employment information, such as dates of employment. It also requests information about when the […]
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Mood Disorders and VA Disability BenefitsWhat Are Mood Disorders? Mood disorders, oftentimes referred to as affective disorder, are a mental health conditions that severely impacts mood and its related functions. Importantly, “mood disorders” is an umbrella term used to represent different types of mental health conditions, including the following: Major depressive disorder – prolonged and persistent periods of extreme sadness […]