With an estimated 552,775 veterans living in Illinois, many may still be missing out on VA benefits or not taking advantage of the valuable resources available to them. That’s where our VA disability lawyers can help.
Hill & Ponton was founded by a veteran, giving us a profound understanding, experience, and compassion for the challenges disabled veterans face. We specialize in appeals and in obtaining VA unemployability or additional compensation, where a disability law firm makes the most difference.
Our VA-accredited attorneys have successfully fought for hundreds of veterans in Illinois and thousands more nationwide to secure the VA disability benefits they are entitled to. We would be honored to do the same for you.
Our Legal Services
- Disability Compensation: We’ll fight to get the full disability compensation you are entitled to based on your service-connected conditions.
- Appeals: If your initial claim has been denied, we can handle the appeal to overturn the VA decision. We have a deep understanding of the VA appeals process and will work tirelessly to win you the benefits you have earned.
- Increases: If your service-connected disability has worsened, we can assist you in obtaining an increase in your disability rating and compensation.
- Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC): We assist surviving spouses, children, and parents of service members who died in the line of duty or from a service-related injury or illness.
- Special Monthly Compensation (SMC): This is an additional tax-free benefit that can be paid to veterans with certain specific or severe disabilities.
- Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU): If your service-connected disabilities prevent you from being able to work, our lawyers can help you get TDIU, which pays at the 100% disability rate, even if your combined rating is less than 100%.
Disability Ratings and Compensation
A disability rating is a percentage assigned by the VA that represents the severity of a service-connected condition. This rating determines the amount of monthly tax-free disability compensation a veteran receives. The ratings are combined using a specific VA formula to determine a total combined disability rating.
You can estimate your rating and monthly compensation by using our VA Disability Calculator.
Here’s how much an unmarried veteran with no dependents currently earns per month based on their disability rating:
- 10%: $175.51
- 20%: $346.95
- 30%: $537.42
- 40%: $774.16
- 50%: $1,102.04
- 60%: $1,395.93
- 70%: $1,759.19
- 80%: $2,044.89
- 90%: $2,297.96
- 100%: $3,831.30
Illinois State Benefits for Disabled Veterans
The state of Illinois offers disabled veterans various benefits, which include tax breaks, education and employment opportunities, housing assistance, and more.
Work with us to get your benefits
When Should You Hire a VA Disability Lawyer?
While you can file an initial claim on your own or with the help of a Veteran Service Officer (VSO), there are advantages to hiring an attorney, especially for an appeal. The VA appeals process is complex and constantly changing. An experienced VA disability attorney can help you navigate the system, gather the necessary evidence, and build a strong case.
Hiring a lawyer for your appeal is having a dedicated legal specialist on your side who understands the nuances of VA law and will choose the most effective approach for your specific situation. There are several appeal paths available to disabled veterans who were denied or underrated by the VA:
- Supplemental Claim: If you have new and relevant evidence that was not previously considered by the VA, you can file a Supplemental Claim. This is reviewed by the same Regional Office that made the initial decision.
- Higher-Level Review: If you believe the initial decision contained an error based on the evidence already submitted, you can request a Higher-Level Review. A more senior VA rater will review your case without new evidence.
- Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA) Review: This is the highest administrative appeal level. You can choose a direct review (for cases where you have no new evidence to submit and want a judge to review the existing record), submit new evidence directly to the Board, or request a hearing with a Veterans Law Judge to present your case and provide testimony.
Hill & Ponton lawyers win 96% of the appeals we handle. We are selective in the cases we accept to ensure we can dedicate the necessary resources to each one. You can find out more about how we’ve helped veterans in Illinois and across the country from these testimonials.
Winning VA Claims and Appeals
The VA looks for three things when evaluating an initial claim or deciding the success of an appeal:
- A current diagnosis of the disability
- An in-service event, injury, or illness
- A link (nexus) between the disability and the in-service event
Establishing a clear nexus is the most critical part of a successful VA disability claim, and one of the main reasons why claims are denied.
Typical reasons for VA claim denials include:
- Lack of Service Connection: Insufficient evidence to prove a direct link between your disability and your military service.
- Insufficient Medical Evidence: Medical records do not adequately support the severity of your condition or its impact on your ability to work.
- Missed Deadlines: Failing to submit required forms or evidence within the VA’s strict deadlines.
- VA Error: Mistakes made by the VA in applying regulations or evaluating your evidence
Our attorneys can help gather the necessary evidence for a successful appeal and fight on your behalf to win maximum compensation.
Get a free case evaluation
VA Disability for Toxic Exposure
Throughout their service, many veterans are exposed to dangerous substances that cause severe health issues. Several military bases in Illinois have been associated with environmental hazards:
- Naval Station Great Lakes (North Chicago): High levels of PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) contamination from firefighting foam (AFFF).
- Scott Air Force Base (St. Clair County): Designated a Superfund site due to significant PFAS contamination from historical use of firefighting foam, affecting on-base and nearby groundwater.
- Chanute Air Force Base (Rantoul): Superfund site with widespread contamination including PFAS, arsenic, trichloroethylene (TCE), benzene, 1,4-dioxane, lead, cadmium, chromium, and asbestos from fuel leaks, solvents, degreasers, and waste disposal in landfills and fire training areas. Closed since 1993.
- Joliet Army Ammunition Plant (Will County): Superfund site contaminated with base neutral acids, metals, nitroaromatics, PCBs, and petroleum hydrocarbons from ammunition and explosives production, and later industrial and government activities. Explosives, VOCs, and metals also found in groundwater plumes.
- Peoria Air National Guard Base (Peoria, IL): Investigated for PFAS contamination due to historical use of AFFF in firefighting training exercises.
- Rock Island Arsenal: The largest government-owned weapons manufacturing arsenal in the United States, investigated for PFAS contamination.
- Savanna Army Depot Activity (Jo Daviess County): Soils contaminated with metals, pesticides, explosives, lead-based paint chips, and PAHs. Groundwater contaminated with various pesticides, explosives, solvents, and petroleum-related contaminants. Sediments and surface water contaminated with various explosives, PAHs, and metals. PFAS contamination also noted.
- Fort Sheridan (Lake County): Soil and groundwater contaminated with toxic fuels, solvents (e.g., TCE), and heavy metals from military activities, including unexploded ordnance and landfill operations.
- Springfield Air National Guard Base (Springfield, IL): Suspected PFAS contamination linked to the use of firefighting foams during training and emergency response activities.
Veterans and personnel who served at these or other installations may have been exposed to hazardous substances and could be eligible for VA disability benefits related to toxic exposure. Our VA-accredited attorneys can offer the veterans of Illinois the experienced legal support they need to pursue the maximum compensation available for service-connected disabilities.
VA Legal Resources and Lawyers Near You
Chicago
Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs: Offers assistance with claims, benefits, and resources. Address: 69 W Washington St 16th floor, Chicago, IL 60602 | Phone: 800-437-9824
Illinois State Facilities Offering Assistance to Veterans
Vet Centers
Aurora Vet Center: 750 Shoreline Drive, Suite 150, Aurora, IL 60504
Chicago Vet Center: 8658 South Sacramento Avenue, Chicago, IL 60652
Evanston Vet Center: 1901 Howard Street, Evanston, IL 60202
Forest Park Vet Center: 1515 South Harlem Avenue, Forest Park, IL 60130
Orland Park Vet Center: 8651 West 159th Street, Orland Park, IL 60462
Peoria Vet Center: 5015 American Prairie Drive, Peoria, IL 61615
Richton Park Vet Center: 4511 Sauk Trail, Richton Park, IL 60471
Springfield, IL Vet Center: 2980 Baker Drive, Springfield, IL 62703
Medical Centers
Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center: 3001 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, IL 60064
Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital: 5000 South 5th Ave, Hines, IL 60141
Jesse Brown VA Medical Center: 820 South Damen Avenue, Chicago, IL 60612
Marion VA Medical Center: 2401 West Main Street, Marion, IL 62959
VA Illiana Health Care System: 1900 East Main Street, Danville, IL 61832
Community clinics
Auburn Gresham VA Clinic: 7731 South Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60620
Aurora VA Clinic: 161 South Lincolnway, Suite 120, North Aurora, IL 60542
Bloomington VA Clinic: 207 Hamilton Road, Bloomington, IL 61704
Bob Michel Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic: 7717 North Orange Prairie Road, Peoria, IL 61615
Chicago Heights VA Clinic: 211 Dixie Highway, Suite 4, Chicago Heights, IL 60411
Decatur VA Clinic: 792 North Sunnyside Road, Decatur, IL 62522
Joliet VA Clinic: 2000 Glenwood Ave., Joliet, IL 60435
Kankakee County VA Clinic: 581 William Latham Dr, Bourbonnais, IL 60914
Lakeside VA Clinic: 211 East Ontario Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL 60611
LaSalle VA Clinic: 4461 N Progress Blvd, Peru, IL 61354
Mattoon VA Clinic: 501 Lakeland Boulevard, Suite D, Mattoon, IL 61938
Oak Lawn VA Clinic: 10201 S. Cicero Ave., Oak Lawn, IL 60453
Springfield VA Clinic: 5850 South 6th Street, Suite A, Springfield, IL 62703
Housing Assistance and Support for Veterans in the State of Illinois
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Veterans Affairs work together on the HUD-VASH program to move veterans out of homelessness and into permanent housing. In Champaign County, for example, the Housing Authority and the VA Illiana Health Care System serve veterans through this program. There are also project-based vouchers available at locations like Highland Green in Urbana.
At Hill & Ponton, we prioritize veterans facing housing insecurity or unemployment. If you’ve been denied or underrated by the VA, get a free evaluation here. Our Illinois VA disability appeal lawyers don’t charge anything upfront and only get paid if you get paid.