Veterans (VA) Disability Lawyer Serving Washington

Disabled Washington State veterans may be eligible for disability benefits if they can prove their qualifying condition resulted from an in-service event, illness, or injury. This is where many veterans run into trouble and receive denials. A veterans disability lawyer serving Washington can help you appeal the denial and win the benefits you deserve.

The Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD team wants to use our decades of experience handling VA disability claims to help you. Call us at 800-544-9144 for a free consultation today.

Washington VA Benefit Resources

Washington VA Regional Benefit Office

Seattle: Seattle Regional Benefit Office

Washington VA Medical Centers

Washington VA Statistics

As of 2016, Washington State has:

• Nearly 568,000 residents who are U.S. military veterans (over 10 percent of the state’s adult population)
• Over 131,000 residents who are receiving VA disability benefits
• Over 213,000 veterans currently enrolled in the VA health care system (of these, 131,000 have sought treatment at a VA medical center)

Over 56 percent of Washington State’s veterans are under 65 years of age; nearly 13 percent of the state’s veterans are military retirees (veterans who served enough time in the military to be entitled to military retired or retainer pay).

Building a Successful Veterans Disability Appeal in Washington

To obtain service connection for a disability, veterans must provide the following:

• A current diagnosis of a medical condition;
• An event, illness, or injury that occurred during your military service; and
• A link, or nexus between medical condition and your in-service illness, event, or injury.

The link between your military service and your condition establishes service connection. As a client of Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD, we will gather evidence to draw a strong link between your military service and your medical diagnosis.

For instance, if your disability involves a respiratory condition, we may submit lay evidence from you testifying to your exposure to military burn pits. If a doctor can establish your respiratory condition resulted from your exposure to burn pits, you are one step closer to receiving the benefits you deserve.

To prove service connection, we would draw on specific evidence from your military records and medical history.

In some cases, the VA presumes service connection. For example, if you suffer from respiratory cancer and were stationed in the Korean demilitarized zone (DMZ) between April 1, 1968 and August 31, 1971, the VA assumes you were exposed to Agent Orange and does not require a nexus in order to grant your claim.

VA Disability Compensation Levels

In addition to persuading the VA to grant service connection, we also want to ensure you are assigned an accurate disability rating, as this rating affects the compensation you receive each month.

This combined disability rating ranges from 0 to 100 percent. A 0 percent rating indicates a low level of disability and does not grant you monthly compensation (but does qualify you for free health care and other assorted benefits). On the other end of the spectrum is a combined 100 percent rating, signifying full disability and giving you the maximum monthly benefit.

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

Also, a rating of 30 percent or higher lets you receive additional monthly compensation if you have dependent family members living in your home, such as a spouse or child.

Washington State Veterans: Call 800-544-9144 to Discuss Your Case with Us

At Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD, we believe veterans deserve benefits for the sacrifices they made serving our country. Call 800-544-9144 today to see how we can help you get the benefits you deserve.