Veterans (VA) Disability Lawyer Serving Manchester, VT

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides disability compensation to veterans with disabling conditions related to their military service.  If you are a disabled veteran living in Manchester, Vermont, you may qualify for these benefits.

Sometimes VA will deny claims for benefits, despite evidence that the veteran incurred their disability while in service.  If this happened to you, a Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick veterans (VA) disability lawyer serving Manchester, VT may be able to help you file an appeal.  Call CCK today at 800-544-9144 for a free consultation with a member of our team.

VA Facilities Serving Manchester, Vermont

While there is no VA facility located in Manchester, there are several VA clinics, vet centers, and a Regional Office located throughout the state.  There are also virtual resources available to Manchester veterans.

Regional Office

The White River Junction Regional Office provides veterans living in Manchester, VT with claims assistance and other VA resources.  Manchester veterans can schedule a virtual appointment through the Visitor Engagement Reporting Application (VERA).

Other VA Facilities

• White River Junction: White River Junction VA Medical Center
• Bennington: Bennington VA Clinic
• Brattleboro: Brattleboro VA Clinic
• Burlington: Burlington Lakeside VA Clinic
• Newport: Newport VA Clinic
• Rutland: Rutland VA Clinic

How to Secure Disability Compensation in Manchester, VT

To prove a claim for disability compensation, Manchester, VT 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.

Establishing a nexus is essential to claims for service connection.  Veterans can fulfill the nexus element by attending a Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam scheduled by VA, and/or by requesting a nexus opinion from their private physician.  In the nexus opinion, the physician should state whether they believe that the veteran’s condition is “at least as likely as not” related to their military service.

There are also other types of evidence that may be useful in claims for disability benefits, such as:

• 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).

VA Disability Compensation Rates

Once service connection is granted, VA will assign a disability rating to each service-connected condition.  A veteran’s combined disability rating (i.e., the combination of each of their individual ratings using VA math) determines their monthly compensation amount.

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

Veterans with a combined disability rating of 30 percent or higher and at least one qualifying dependent may be eligible for additional compensation.  Dependents can 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 Denial of Benefits

If VA issues a denial on your claim for benefits, you can 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.

Should I Get a Veterans (VA) Disability Attorney?

Unfortunately, veterans are often denied VA benefits for service-related conditions.  If you were denied benefits, a veterans (VA) disability attorney can help you appeal the decision, gather relevant evidence, and argue your case.  Veterans’ attorneys have experience when it comes to navigating the complicated and time-consuming VA claims and appeals process.

It is important to note that 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.

How Much Can a Veterans (VA) Disability Lawyer Charge in Manchester, VT?

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.  If you do not win any benefits, the attorney will not be paid.  Accredited veterans’ advocates and attorneys cannot take a percentage of any future benefits a veteran may win.

VA regulates who can represent a veteran and how much they can be paid under 38 CFR § 14.636.  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 Manchester Veterans

If VA denied your claim, a CCK veterans (VA) disability lawyer serving Manchester, VT may be able to help.  Our team has decades of experience representing veterans before VA, the Board of Veterans’ Appeals, and the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC).  Call CCK today at 800-544-9144 to schedule your free consultation.