Veterans (VA) Disability Lawyer Serving Great Falls, Montana

Are you a veteran living in Great Falls, Montana with a service-related disabling condition?  If so, you may qualify for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation.

If VA denied you benefits on your disability claim, you have the option to file an appeal.  A veterans (VA) disability lawyer serving Great Falls, Montana from Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD may be able to help you appeal VA’s decision and secure the compensation you are rightfully owed.

To schedule a free consultation with a member of the CCK team, call 800-544-9144 today.

VA Facilities Serving Great Falls, Montana

There are several VA facilities serving veterans in Great Falls, Montana, including a Community Based Outpatient Clinic, a Regional Benefit Office, and a Vet Center.

VA Clinic

The Great Falls VA Clinic is a Community Based Outpatient Clinic offering several health services to veterans living in the Great Falls, Montana area.  These services include primary care, mental health and behavioral care, geriatrics, audiology and speech, suicide prevention, and addiction and substance abuse care.

Veterans can learn more or schedule an appointment by calling the Great Falls VA Clinic’s main phone at 406-771-5800 or the mental health clinic phone at 406-447-6000.

Regional Benefit Office

The Fort Harrison Regional Office administers a variety of VA services for veterans living throughout Montana, such as Compensation, Education, Insurance, Loan Guaranty, Pension, counseling about eligibility for VA benefits, outreach programs, and more.

The Fort Harrison Regional Office can be reached at 800-827-1000.

Other VA Resources

• Great Falls Vet Center

Getting VA Benefits in Great Falls, Montana

Veterans living in Great Falls, Montana with disabling medical conditions related to their military service can apply for VA disability benefits.  To qualify for compensation, veterans must prove their condition is connected to service by providing 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 disabling condition.

Providing a nexus is essential to a veteran’s claim for disability compensation.  Veterans can request a nexus opinion from their private physician, or VA may schedule a Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam to determine if a connection between the in-service event and disability exists.

VA Disability Compensation Rates

Once service connection is established, VA will assign a disability rating to the veteran’s condition.  Each disability rating correlates with a 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

What Benefits Does a 100% Disabled Veteran Get in Great Falls, Montana?

A veteran with a 100 percent disability rating may also qualify for additional VA 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)
• Dependents Educational Assistance program;
• Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment services;
• And more.

Veterans with a combined disability rating of 30 percent or higher and at least one qualifying dependent may also receive additional compensation.  Eligible 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

Appealing a VA Decision

If VA denied your benefits claim for your service-related condition, you have the option to file an appeal in one of three ways:

• 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.

Getting assistance from a veterans (VA) disability attorney can greatly increase your chances of successfully appealing a VA decision.

It is important to note that VA regulates who can represent a veteran and how much they can be paid under 38 CFR § 14.636.  Veterans (VA) disability lawyers or accredited claims agents charge fees based on recovered retroactive benefits only.  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 Veterans in Great Falls, Montana

The veterans (VA) disability attorneys serving Great Falls, Montana at CCK have decades of experience successfully appealing VA decisions and helping disabled veterans get their rightfully owed compensation.  CCK attorneys also have demonstrated success in representing veterans before VA and the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC).

If you are living in Great Falls, Montana and need assistance appealing a VA decision, a CCK veteran’s advocate may be able to help.  Reach out to CCK today to schedule a free consultation with a member of our team.