If you’re one of the estimated 6,795 veterans in Muskegon County who have no service-connected disability rating, and you think it’s because the VA wrongly denied you…
Or if you’re one of the county’s 2,564 rated veterans stuck at a percentage that’s too low given your medical problems…
Hill & Ponton is here for you. Our VA-accredited disability lawyers devote their whole practice to veterans the VA denied or underrated.
We know the record a VA rater expects to see, the errors that end disability claims, and the required evidence a file might be missing. We can take your case from the denial letter to the final decision, at no upfront cost.
Our Legal Services
- Disability Compensation: Winning the right monthly amount is only half the job; we’ll also work tirelessly on recovering the back pay owed since your effective date.
- VA Disability Appeals: A denied claim or a low rating gets a second chance with fresh medical evidence, corrected records, and an appeal argued to the end.
- Rating Increases: A rating set years ago rarely fits the condition now. We collect the current medical picture and push for the higher tier.
- Special Monthly Compensation: Blindness, lost limbs, housebound status, or a daily need for care can make veterans eligible for extra money, over and above the standard rates.
- Individual Unemployability: When a condition forces you out of the workforce, TDIU pays at the top rate regardless of the combined percentage, and we help you get that maximum compensation.
- Survivor Benefits: A spouse, child, or dependent parent left behind by a service-connected death can win Dependency and Indemnity Compensation and other survivor benefits even if previously denied (with our help from start to finish).
How Much Is VA Disability Worth?
Compensable VA disability ratings range between 10% and 100%, and small rating differences become large dollar differences over the years. The current monthly compensation for a veteran with no dependents can go to almost $4000.
- 10%: $180.42
- 20%: $356.66
- 30%: $552.47
- 40%: $795.84
- 50%: $1,132.90
- 60%: $1,435.02
- 70%: $1,808.45
- 80%: $2,102.15
- 90%: $2,362.30
- 100%: $3,938.58
When you have several conditions, the VA merges the percentages with a combining formula that trims each addition, so the final figure is lower than expected (and makes it all the more important to get an accurate rating for each different disability). Estimate your combined rating with the VA disability calculator.
Additionally, veterans qualify for Michigan state VA benefits, which include tax breaks and discounts. For instance, a veteran rated 100% permanent and total, or paid at the TDIU level, owes no property tax on their homestead.
Work with us to get your Benefits
Winning Toxic Exposure Claims
West Michigan’s Belmont Armory, the National Guard post north of Grand Rapids, is a site with documented contamination, where testing measured PFAS from firefighting foam at 457.10 ppt against the EPA’s 70 ppt lifetime health advisory.
But most exposure claims we see from the Muskegon area are associated with military service at other military bases, or with Vietnam-era Agent Orange exposure, the toxic water at Camp Lejeune, burn pits in the Middle East, etc. If the VA denied a claim of toxic exposure, our disability attorneys may be able to revive it and pursue maximum compensation.
What Gets a VA Claim Approved?
- A current diagnosis – medical records showing you have the condition in the present, not years ago or only during military service.
- An event during service or caused by it – service records or credible statements proving an injury, illness, or exposure.
- The link between them – a medical opinion finding it “at least as likely as not” that the condition stems from the event. This is called a nexus and it’s usually the most difficult element, often the reason why a claim fails.
Our VA disability attorneys can spot what’s missing quickly and act to correct the error, gather more evidence or obtain the missing expert opinion required to win.
Tell us about your case
Choosing the Right Path After the VA Says No
Filing a first claim without help is common in Muskegon as anywhere, and sometimes it works. But the odds shift after a denial or an award that undercounts the condition.
Three appeal paths lead out of an unfavorable VA decision: a Supplemental Claim with new evidence, a Higher-Level Review that re-reads the existing record, or a Board of Veterans’ Appeals case before a judge. Our lawyers make the right choice for your case, keep every date and gather the necessary evidence the file was missing.
VA regulations and court rulings shift constantly, and we put each change to work for clients, whether it means a higher rating, a TDIU award, or special compensation. The consultation is free and the fee is contingent: no win, no charge. Send us the VA decision and we will map the best road to the VA disability benefits you deserve.
Veteran Services in and Near Muskegon
- Muskegon VA Clinic – The city’s VA outpatient clinic for primary care, mental health, audiology, and PTSD treatment. 2734 East Apple Avenue, Muskegon, MI 49442. VA Battle Creek main line: 269-966-5600
- Wyoming VA Clinic – A VA Battle Creek outpatient clinic in the Grand Rapids area. 5838 Metro Way Southwest, Wyoming, MI 49519.
- Grand Rapids VA Health Clinic – 620 Century Avenue Southwest, Suite 120, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. VA Battle Creek main line: 269-966-5600
- Muskegon County Department of Veterans Affairs – County service officers who assist with disability compensation claims and emergency financial help. 1903 Marquette, Suite A101, Muskegon, MI 49442. Phone: 231-724-7143
- Battle Creek VA Medical Center – The full-service hospital behind the Muskegon clinic, with inpatient and specialty care. 5500 Armstrong Road, Battle Creek, MI 49037. Phone: 269-966-5600
- Grand Rapids Vet Center – The area’s Vet Center, offering readjustment counseling at no cost, from combat stress through military sexual trauma. 2050 Breton Road SE, Suite 100, Grand Rapids, MI 49546. Phone: 616-285-5795
- Detroit VA Regional Benefit Office – Michigan’s VBA office for disability claims and in-person benefits questions. 477 Michigan Avenue, 12th Floor, Detroit, MI 48226.
Keeping Muskegon Veterans Housed
The Muskegon City and County Continuum of Care’s 2025 Point-in-Time count, taken January 29, found 5 veterans among 133 people experiencing homelessness. But many more could be at risk.
VA Battle Creek homeless veteran care has a contact point right in Muskegon, with emergency food and shelter, help toward temporary and permanent housing, job training, and care for addiction and depression.
At Hill & Ponton, we know that behind the desperate situation of many veterans is a benefit that stopped or never started. Veterans about to lose their home get our attention first, nothing is owed unless the appeal succeeds, and the first review costs nothing.
Meet Our Expert Legal Team
VA disability attorneys and professionals in the corner of veterans in Muskegon, Michigan and beyond.
Let Us Fight For Your Benefits
Need help appealing a VA decision? Contact our VA disability lawyers for a free evaluation of your claim.