Veterans (VA) Disability Lawyer Serving Utah
If you live in Utah and served in the military, you may be eligible to receive VA disability benefits. A veterans lawyer from Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD may be able to help you receive VA disability compensation.
If you previously applied for service-connected compensation and were denied, the next step is the appeals process. The veterans lawyers serving Utah at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD may be able to assist in this process. To speak with a member of our team, call 800-544-9144.
Utah VA Benefit Resources
Utah VA Regional Benefit Office
- Salt Lake City: Salt Lake City Regional Benefit Office
Utah VA Medical Centers
- Salt Lake City: VA Salt Lake City Health Care System
Utah VA Statistics
As of 2016, Utah has:
- Approximately 136,000 veterans, comprising roughly 7 percent of the population
- More than 27,000 veterans who receive VA disability benefits
- More than 58,000 veterans enrolled in VA’s health care system, including 36,000 who have received treatment at a VA health care center
- 46 percent of veterans ages 65 and older, and more than 13 percent are military retirees
How to Receive VA Disability Benefits in Utah
At Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD, our team of veterans lawyers serving Utah is committed to helping veterans pursue VA disability benefits.
In order to receive VA disability benefits, your claim for service-connected compensation must demonstrate three things.
First, you must demonstrate that you have a current diagnosis that meets VA’s definition of a qualifying disability. Second, you must prove that a specific event, injury, or illness occurred during your military service. Lastly, you must establish a “nexus” between these two.
Diagnosis of a Current Condition
First, you must demonstrate that you are currently diagnosed with a condition.
An Event, Injury, or Illness Occurred During Your Military Service
Second, you must establish that an event, injury, or illness occurred during your military service. For instance, you may have been exposed to toxic chemicals, or you may have experienced an injury during a training exercise.
A Nexus Between the Event and Your Disability
Finally, you must demonstrate a “nexus,” or a connection between the event in your service and your current diagnosis. An opinion from a medical professional may help establish this connection. To provide a positive nexus opinion, a qualified medical professional must state it is “at least as likely as not” that your current condition contributed to or was caused by the event.
VA Disability Compensation Levels
Your combined VA disability rating is based on the severity of your service-connected conditions. This rating ranges from 0 to 100 percent, in increments of 10, and determines your monthly compensation.
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: $175.51 per month
- 20 percent disability rating: $346.95 per month
- 30 percent disability rating: $537.42 per month
- 40 percent disability rating: $774.16 per month
- 50 percent disability rating: $1,102.04 per month
- 60 percent disability rating: $1,395.93 per month
- 70 percent disability rating: $1,759.19 per month
- 80 percent disability rating: $2,044.89 per month
- 90 percent disability rating: $2,297.96 per month
- 100 percent disability rating: $3,831.30 per month
While the highest schedular amount of monthly compensation is just under $3,000, you may be eligible for additional benefits if you are living with qualified dependents, such as your spouse, children under 18 or children between 18 and 23 in school, or dependent parents. In order to qualify for dependency benefits, you must have a combined disability rating of 30 percent or higher.
What if I Cannot Afford a VA Disability Lawyer Serving Utah
If you are concerned about hiring a veterans lawyer because of potential cost, please keep in mind that at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD, we work on a contingency basis. This means that we do not get paid until you do.
Speak With a Member of the Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD Team
A veterans disability lawyer serving Utah at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD may be able to help you pursue VA disability benefits.
To speak to a member of our team, call 800-544-9144.
Utah Blog Posts
- How to Check the Status of your VA Compensation Claim
By checking the status of your VA claim, you know what stage of the appeals process your claim is in and can help you avoid missing deadlines and better understand how the VA claims and appeals process works. The length of the VA claims and appeals process can vary tremendously based on many factors, including […]
- VA Disability Ratings for Small Cell Carcinoma
What is Small Cell Carcinoma? Small cell lung cancer is a type of cancer that most commonly occurs in the lung. In this form of cancer, malignant cells form in the tissues of the lung. The lungs are two organs that make up the respiratory system and make it possible for a person to properly […]
- The Difference Between a VA Benefits Claim and an Appeal
A claim for VA disability benefits and an appeal of the VA’s decision are two different things. These terms are sometimes used interchangeably by veterans, but they have distinct meanings and processes. You file a claim when you submit it to the VA. To receive disability compensation, you will need to prove that your current […]