If you’ve been denied by the VA or given a disability rating that doesn’t reflect how serious your condition really is, you’re not alone. Many veterans start their claims with hope, only to end up discouraged by red tape, missing paperwork, and decisions that don’t make sense. The truth is, the VA system is complex and often unforgiving. One small error or missing medical link can keep you from the benefits you’ve earned through years of service.
That’s where we come in. Our VA-accredited attorneys focus solely on veterans’ disability law. We know the VA’s process, we know how to challenge unfair decisions, and we know how to build the kind of appeal the VA will approve. Whether your claim was denied, underrated, or mishandled, we’ll help you fight back with the strong medical and legal evidence your case deserves.
Across the state of Mississippi, over 50,000 veterans receive VA disability, yet many others are yet to receive their rightful benefits. Those older than 65, in particular, who make up 41% of the total number of veterans in Mississippi, may have spent years living with service-related conditions without proper recognition or compensation. At Hill & Ponton, we believe no veteran should have to keep struggling alone.
If you’ve served this nation and now find yourself fighting for fair treatment from the VA, we are ready to stand with you. Contact us for a free evaluation – we never charge upfront fees and we’ll point you in the right direction even if we don’t take your case.
Our Legal Services for Mississippi Veterans
- Disability Compensation: We help you obtain the compensation you’re entitled to receive for service-connected physical and mental health conditions. We gather medical records, service documentation, and expert opinions to build a strong, evidence-based case and secure every dollar you’ve earned.
- Appeals: If the VA denied your claim or issued a rating that doesn’t match the true impact of your condition, our lawyers will take charge of the appeals process and argue the case on your behalf to maximize your benefits.
- Rating Increases: If your health has declined since the VA’s original decision, you may be entitled to a higher disability rating and greater monthly benefits.
- DIC and Survivor Benefits: We proudly assist the spouses, children, and parents of Mississippi service members who passed away in the line of duty or from service-connected conditions. Our attorneys help families apply for survivor benefits, ensuring they receive the financial and emotional support they’re entitled to under VA and state programs.
- Special Monthly Compensation: Veterans living with severe or multiple disabilities may qualify for Special Monthly Compensation, an additional payment above the standard 100% disability rate.
- Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability: If your service-connected conditions make it difficult or impossible to maintain full-time employment, you may qualify for TDIU, which pays at the 100% disability rate even if your combined rating is lower. We help prove unemployability through detailed medical, vocational, and service-related evidence, ensuring you receive the full compensation you deserve.
What Compensation and Benefits Are Available to You?
The VA disability rating is the key to the financial and medical support you’ve earned through your service. This rating, determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, measures how severely your service-connected condition limits your daily life, from your ability to work to how easily you can manage routine tasks.
The VA assigns ratings in increments of 10%, from 10% to 100%, and each step reflects a greater level of disability and a higher, tax-free monthly payment. If you have more than one service-connected condition, the VA uses a combined ratings formula which often results in a total rating that’s lower than expected. That’s why accuracy matters. Even a small increase in your rating percentage can mean a meaningful boost in monthly compensation.
Here are the current VA monthly compensation rates for a single Mississippi veteran with no dependents:
- 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
The VA updates these figures each year to reflect cost-of-living adjustments and veterans with spouses, children, or dependent parents also qualify for additional amounts. You can calculate your compensation with our VA Disability Calculator.
Mississippi State Benefits for Disabled Veterans
In addition to federal VA compensation, Mississippi offers a variety of programs to support veterans and their families. These include property tax relief, tuition assistance, employment preference, and more.
If you believe your current disability VA rating doesn’t reflect the full impact of your service-connected condition, Hill & Ponton can help you pursue the increase you deserve and make sure every benefit available to Mississippi veterans is within your reach.
Work with us to get your benefits
When Should You Hire a VA Disability Lawyer?
Many Mississippi veterans start their VA disability claim on their own (and that’s often the right way to begin). But when your claim is denied, or the rating the VA assigns doesn’t reflect how serious your condition really is, that’s when experienced legal help can make the difference between frustration and success.
The VA appeals process is complex and technical, with strict filing rules and constant policy updates that can be hard to navigate without guidance. Missing a single form, piece of evidence, or deadline can delay your case for months – or even years.
Working with a VA-accredited attorney gives you an advocate who knows the system inside and out. At Hill & Ponton, VA disability law isn’t one of many practice areas, it’s all we do. Our lawyers understand the VA’s procedures, evidence standards, and appeal paths, and we use that experience to build winning legal arguments for Mississippi veterans who deserve better results.
We take the time to collect every relevant medical record, service document, and expert opinion to strengthen your appeal. Then, we present a detailed case showing how your service-connected conditions truly affect your health, work, and quality of life.
Your VA Appeal Options
- Supplemental Claim: If you obtained new or relevant evidence (such as recent medical reports, new diagnoses, or service records that weren’t part of your original claim) this process lets the VA re-evaluate your case with the added information.
- Higher-Level Review: If you believe the VA made an error the first time, you can request a Higher-Level Review. A more experienced VA reviewer will re-examine your claim without requiring new evidence. This is often the fastest way to fix clear mistakes.
- Board of Veterans’ Appeals Review: The highest level of administrative appeal is also the one that takes the longest. You can choose a direct review (no new evidence), submit additional documentation, or request a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge to make your case directly.
If the VA isn’t recognizing the full impact of your service-connected condition, tell us your story – we’re ready to help you fight for the benefits you deserve! We never charge any upfront fees, and your case evaluation is always free. Contact us to discuss your appeal.
Winning Your VA Disability Appeal
Far too many veterans in Mississippi find themselves stuck in the VA system: waiting, appealing, or wondering why their legitimate claims were denied. Most of the time, it isn’t because the veteran doesn’t qualify for benefits. It’s because the VA didn’t get the right evidence, or didn’t connect the dots between a veteran’s service and their health condition. To award disability compensation, the VA looks for three key pieces of proof:
- Current Diagnosis: Proof from a qualified medical provider that you have a current, documented condition.
- In-Service Event: Evidence that something happened during your military service (an injury, illness, trauma, or exposure) that could have caused or aggravated your condition.
- Nexus: A medical opinion linking your current disability to your time in service, stating that it is “at least as likely as not” related to your military experience.
Without strong evidence for all three, even the most valid claims can be denied or underrated. Common reasons veterans lose VA claims include:
- Lack of clear evidence connecting the condition to service
- Incomplete or outdated medical documentation
- Missed appeal or evidence deadlines
- VA processing errors or misinterpretation of records
Our VA-accredited attorneys focus exclusively on VA disability claims and appeals. We work closely with medical professionals to obtain persuasive nexus letters and ensure your appeal is complete, accurate, and filed on time.
Get a free case evaluation
VA Disability for Toxic Exposure
Louisiana hosts a number of active, reserve, National Guard, and decommissioned sites where contamination from PFAS, solvents, fuel leaks, heavy metals, munitions waste, or pesticide use has been documented or suspected. If you served at or near one of these locations and later developed a condition related to toxic exposure, you may be entitled to VA disability benefits:
- Keesler Air Force Base (Biloxi) – Known for PFAS contamination caused by historical use of firefighting foam (AFFF) during training exercises. Soil and groundwater testing detected PFOS and PFOA, and long-term monitoring continues under Air Force oversight.
- Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) Gulfport – The Navy confirmed PFAS and petroleum-based contamination in shallow groundwater from decades of firefighting and maintenance operations. Environmental cleanup and monitoring are ongoing.
- Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center (Air National Guard) – Environmental reviews have identified potential PFAS and fuel contamination tied to historical AFFF use and aircraft refueling operations. The site remains under investigation.
- Naval Air Station (NAS) Meridian – Documented PFAS contamination linked to firefighting foam use during aircraft fire training. PFOS and PFOA have been detected in groundwater, prompting continued cleanup and assessment.
- Key Field Air National Guard Base (Meridian) – Home to the 186th Air Refueling Wing, the base is undergoing PFAS environmental assessments related to firefighting, refueling, and aircraft maintenance activities.
- Thompson Field Air National Guard Base (Jackson / Flowood) – Site of PFAS testing and environmental evaluation due to historic AFFF use at the 172nd Airlift Wing. Further groundwater and soil testing is in progress.
- Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center (Hattiesburg) – A large National Guard training site with PFAS and munitions-related contamination concerns from decades of fuel storage and fire training. Ongoing monitoring shows drinking water remains below federal limits.
- Camp McCain Training Center (Grenada) – Evaluated for PFAS and hazardous material contamination from fuel and fire suppression activities. Additional groundwater testing is underway to confirm exposure levels.
- Columbus Air Force Base (Lowndes County) – Active cleanup site for PFAS, petroleum, and solvent contamination from aircraft maintenance and fire training. Environmental restoration and regular water monitoring remain in place.
Veterans with conditions linked to those contaminants who served at these or other installations with toxic exposure within the U.S. should seek VA disability benefits. If the VA lacks sufficient documentation or initially denies your claim, our VA disability attorneys may be able to assist you. Get in touch for a free evaluation of the case – we specialize in VA appeals and only get paid if we win your claim.
Legal Resources and Lawyers Near You
Jackson
Jackson Vet Center: 15 River Bend Place, Suite 15A, Flowood, MS 39232. Phone: 601-985-2560
Biloxi-Gulfort
Biloxi Vet Center: 288 Veterans Avenue, Biloxi, MS 39531. Phone: 228-388-9938
Mississippi VA Facilities Providing Veteran Assistance
Veterans Service Offices
- Jackson VA Regional Office: 1600 E. Woodrow Wilson Avenue, Jackson, MS 39216. Phone: 800-827-1000
- Jackson County Veterans Services Office: 2915 Canty Street, Pascagoula, MS. Phone: 228-769-3081
- Jones County Veterans Service Office: 695 County Home Road, Ellisville, MS. Phone: 601-428-0467
- Harrison County Veterans Affairs – Judicial District 1: 1801 23rd Avenue, Gulfport, MS. Phone: 228-865-4027
- Harrison County Veterans Affairs – Judicial District 2: 730 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard, Biloxi, MS. Phone: 228-435-8271
- Lee County Veterans Service Office: 300 W Main Street, Tupelo, MS. Phone: 662-842-4521
- Marion County Veterans Service Office: 250 Broad Street, Suite 13, Columbia, MS. Phone: 601-736-2239
- Monroe County Veterans Service Office: 1619 Highland Drive, Amory, MS. Phone: 662-256-3841
- Madison County Veterans Services Office: 146 West Center Street, Canton, MS. Phone: 601-855-5518
- Pike County Veterans Office: 1002 Warren Krout Road, McComb, MS. Phone: 601-684-9966
- DeSoto County Veterans Services Office: 365 Losher Street, Hernando, MS. Phone: 662-469-8367
- Walthall County Veterans Service Office: 908 Armory Road, Tylertown, MS. Phone: 601-303-0160
- Warren County Veterans Service Officer: PO Box 351, Vicksburg, MS. Phone: 601-636-1627
VA Medical centers
- G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery VA Medical Center: 1500 East Woodrow Wilson Avenue, Jackson, MS 39216
- Biloxi VA Medical Center (VA Gulf Coast Health Care): 400 Veterans Avenue, Biloxi, MS 39531
VA Clinics / CBOC
- Columbus VA Clinic: 824 Alabama Street, Columbus, MS 39702
- Dogwood View Parkway VA Clinic: 6522 Dogwood View Parkway, Suite F, Jackson, MS 39213
- Greenville VA Clinic: 1651 Highway 1 South, Suite 1D, Greenville, MS 38701
- Hattiesburg VA Clinic: 5003 Hardy Street, Tower B, Suite 402, Hattiesburg, MS 39402
- Kosciusko VA Clinic: 405 West Adams Street, Kosciusko, MS 39090
- McComb VA Clinic: 1308 Harrison Avenue, McComb, MS 39648
- Meridian VA Clinic: 2103 13th Street, Meridian, MS 39301
- Natchez VA Clinic: 105 Northgate Drive, Suite 2, Natchez, MS 39120
Housing Assistance and Support for Veterans
Across Mississippi, local, state, and federal programs provide critical housing support to veterans facing homelessness or unstable living conditions:
- VA Homeless Programs in Mississippi, coordinated through the VA Medical Centers in Jackson and Biloxi, offer direct access to housing assistance, employment support, substance use treatment, and health care for veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
- Mississippi Balance of State Continuum of Care (CoC) and Mississippi Gulf Coast CoC work regionally to ensure veterans can access emergency shelters, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, and rapid rehousing services. These networks cover all 82 counties in Mississippi.
- Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) programs operate statewide and provide short-term financial assistance with rent, utilities, security deposits, and moving costs for veterans and their families at risk of losing their housing.
At Hill & Ponton, we understand that housing challenges are often made worse when veterans are denied the benefits they’ve rightfully earned. Our VA disability lawyers specialize in appeals for veterans dealing with housing insecurity or unemployment, and will review your case at no upfront cost. Contact us today for a free evaluation.