Veterans (VA) Disability Lawyer Serving Burlington, VT

Are you a veteran living in Burlington, Vermont with a disability related to your military service?  If so, you may qualify for disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

If you already filed a claim but VA denied you disability benefits, a Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD veterans (VA) disability lawyer serving Burlington, VT may be able to help.  Call CCK today at 800-544-9144 to speak with a member of our team.

VA Facilities Serving Burlington, Vermont

There a several VA resources available to veterans living in Burlington.  These include:

Burlington VA Clinic

The Burlington Lakeside VA Clinic provides a variety of health services to Burlington veterans, such as primary care, mental health care, dermatology, nutritional counseling, women’s health, laboratory services, physical therapy, and more.  To learn more or schedule an appointment, veterans can call the clinic at 802-657-7090.

Regional Office

Veterans living in Burlington, VT can access VA resources and claims assistance at the White River Junction Regional Office.  Burlington veterans can schedule a virtual appointment through the Visitor Engagement Reporting Application (VERA).

Burlington Vet Center

The South Burlington Vet Center offers confidential help for veterans, service members, and their families living in Burlington and the surrounding Vermont area.  Services include counseling for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other mental health conditions.  Veterans can also attend couples counseling, family counseling, and grief and bereavement counseling.

How to Secure VA Benefits in Burlington, Vermont

To receive VA disability benefits for a service-related condition, veterans must have proof of the following three elements of service connection:

• 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.

Establishing a nexus is essential to securing VA compensation.  You can obtain a nexus opinion from your private physician, or VA may schedule a compensation and pension (C&P) exam to determine if there is a connection between the in-service event and your disability.

Providing different types of evidence an also be useful in proving a claim for disability benefits.  Some examples include:

• Service medical records
• Service personnel records
• Private and VA medical records
• Medical opinions from the veteran’s treating doctor
• Employment records (especially if the veteran is seeking Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability, or TDIU)
• Lay evidence (i.e., lay statements or buddy statements).

How Much Do Veterans Get in Disability Compensation?

Once service connection is established, VA will assign a disability rating – ranging from 0 to 100 percent in increments of 10 – to your condition.  Your combined disability rating (i.e., the combination of each of individual rating using VA math) determines your 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 Burlington, VT?

As mentioned above, a veteran with a 100 percent disability rating and no dependents receives $3,332.06 per month from VA as of December 1, 2021.  If you have a 100 percent rating you 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;
• Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) services;
• And more.

How to Appeal an Unfavorable VA Decision

If VA denied you disability benefits or assigned a rating that does not accurately represent your severity of symptoms, you have the option to file an appeal.  Under the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) system, there are three ways to do so:

• 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.

A veterans (VA) disability attorney can help you tackle the time-consuming and challenging process of gathering relevant evidence and developing an appeal.  However, it is important to note that VA regulates who may represent claimants in VA benefits cases and how much they can be paid under 38 CFR § 14.636.

The lawyer or agent representing you must be accredited by VA.  The accreditation process exists to ensure that veterans and their family members received skilled and informed representation throughout the VA appeals process.

CCK Can Help You with Your Appeal

If you need assistance with your VA appeal, a Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick veterans (VA) disability lawyer serving Burlington, VT may be able to help.  The accredited claims agents and attorneys at CCK have decades of experience successfully appealing VA decisions and helping veterans get the VA benefits they deserve.

Call CCK today at 800-544-9144 to schedule your complimentary consultation.