At Hill & Ponton, we focus solely on VA disability law, and we specialize in helping veterans win appeals for denied or underrated claims. Founded by a veteran, our firm understands both the complexity of the VA system and the real-life impact these decisions have on your ability to support yourself and your family.
Whether you’re seeking Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU), an increased rating, or help proving a service connection, our VA-accredited attorneys are ready to fight for you.
We’ve successfully represented hundreds of North Carolina veterans and thousands nationwide, helping them win the benefits they deserve. There are no upfront costs, and you don’t pay unless we win your appeal. Let us stand with you and help secure the compensation you’ve earned through your service.
Our Legal Services for North Carolina Veterans
- Disability Compensation: We’re here to help you secure the full tax-free monthly compensation you deserve for any conditions connected to your military service.
- Appeals: If the VA denied your claim or gave you a lower rating than you deserve, we’ll guide you through the appeals process. Our team knows how to build strong cases and fight back against unfair decisions.
- Rating Increases: Has your service-connected condition gotten worse? We can help you pursue a higher rating – and the increased compensation that comes with it.
- DIC and Survivor Benefits: We support surviving spouses, children, and parents of veterans who died in the line of duty or due to a service-connected condition in obtaining the benefits they’re entitled to receive after the veteran’s death.
- Special Monthly Compensation: If you’re living with serious disabilities like the loss of a limb, blindness, or the need for aid and attendance, we can help you qualify for this additional monthly benefit.
- Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU): If your service-connected conditions make it impossible for you to maintain steady employment, we can help you win TDIU, which provides compensation at the 100% disability rate, even if your standard rating is lower.
Disability Ratings and Compensation
Your VA disability rating is a percentage that reflects how severe your service-connected condition is. This rating directly determines how much monthly, tax-free compensation you receive from the VA.
If you have multiple disabilities, the VA uses a special formula (not simple addition) to calculate your combined disability rating.
Want to know what your rating might be worth? Use the VA Calculator to get an estimate of your monthly compensation.
Here’s what an unmarried North Carolina veteran with no dependents currently receives each month based on their disability rating:
- 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
North Carolina State Benefits
In addition to federal compensation, North Carolina offers its own set of benefits for disabled veterans, including property tax exemptions, education support, employment programs, housing assistance, and more. These benefits can make a meaningful difference in your quality of life – and we’ll help you access every one you’re eligible for.
Work with us to get your benefits
Why You Should Hire a VA Disability Lawyer
Filing your initial VA claim on your own is a great option – but when it comes to appealing a denial or low rating, having a VA-accredited attorney on your side gives you a significant advantage. The VA appeals process is complex and constantly evolving. An experienced VA disability lawyer knows how to navigate these challenges, gather the right evidence, and present the strongest possible case for your benefits.
When you work with Hill & Ponton, you’re not just hiring a lawyer: you’re gaining a legal partner who understands the ins and outs of VA law and will tailor the strategy that best fits your case. There are several paths available for your appeal:
- Supplemental Claim: This is the best option when there is new and relevant evidence that wasn’t previously reviewed. It will be reconsidered by the same VA Regional Office that issued your original decision.
- Higher-Level Review: Has the VA made a mistake? This process allows a more senior reviewer to reevaluate your claim without adding new evidence.
- Board of Veterans’ Appeals Review: This is the highest administrative appeal level. We can request a direct review (no new evidence), submit new evidence directly to the Board or request a hearing with a Veterans Law Judge to argue your case in person or virtually.
At Hill & Ponton, we focus exclusively on VA disability appeals – and we win 96% of the cases we take on. You can learn about our successes and hear from the veterans we’ve helped.
What It Takes to Win Your Appeal
The VA looks for three things when evaluating an initial claim or deciding the success of an appeal:
- A Current Medical Diagnosis – You must have an official diagnosis of a physical or mental health condition from a qualified medical provider.
- An In-Service Event, Injury, or Illness – There must be documented evidence of something that happened during your military service, such as an injury, exposure to hazardous materials, or the onset of a medical condition.
- The Nexus – A medical professional must provide a written opinion clearly connecting your diagnosis to your in-service event. Without this connection, the VA will not consider your condition service-connected. This is the most critical part of your case.
Many disability claims are denied for reasons that can be corrected on appeal. Common denial reasons include:
- Lack of Service Connection: The VA claims there’s not enough proof linking your condition to your military service.
- Insufficient Medical Evidence: Your records may not fully show how severe your condition is or how it affects your daily life and ability to work.
- Missed Deadlines: The VA has strict timelines for submitting evidence and forms. Missing these can result in automatic denials.
- VA Error: Sometimes the VA simply gets it wrong, whether it’s misapplying a regulation or overlooking key evidence.
At Hill & Ponton, we know how to fix these issues. Our experienced VA disability attorneys can gather the right medical documentation, obtain a solid nexus opinion, and make sure your case is presented clearly and effectively. If you’ve been denied or underrated, we’re ready to fight for the compensation you’ve earned.
Get a free case evaluation
VA Disability for Toxic Exposure
North Carolina is home to over 700,000 veterans and has the greatest number of active duty troops on the East Coast. Many of them have been directly impacted by toxic exposure at the facilities where they were stationed. A notorious example is Camp Lejeune, where veterans and their families were exposed to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the base’s water supply for decades. The health consequences were severe, and public outcry eventually led to federal recognition and the creation of a compensation fund. Under the PACT Act, veterans who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune during the contamination period are now eligible for automatic presumptive compensation.
While Camp Lejeune has received national attention and support, it’s not the only contaminated military site in North Carolina. For example, the Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point near Wilmington is currently being monitored by the EPA for toxic exposure risks. Recent water testing in 2024 revealed PFAS contamination levels over three times the EPA’s new recommended limit of 4 parts per trillion in drinking water. Despite this clear environmental threat, Sunny Point and similar sites remain excluded from presumptive coverage under current VA policy, and lack comprehensive monitoring for VOCs or other hazardous chemicals.
Other contaminated military bases in the state of North Carolina include:
- Fort Bragg (Fort Liberty) – PFAS and TCE were detected in the groundwater from years of using firefighting foams (AFFF).
- Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point – Located in Havelock, North Carolina, it has experienced significant contamination issues affecting its water sources, primarily from PFAS, VOCs, and petroleum.
- Seymour Johnson Air Force Base (Goldsboro, NC) – Home to the 4th Fighter Wing, its groundwater has been contaminated with PFOS and PFOA.
- Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River – This base located near Jacksonville, NC is included in the same contaminated water exposure as Camp Lejeune and eligible for VA presumptive benefits due to shared water system and contamination period.
- Buxton Formerly Used Defense Site (Cape Hatteras) – A submarine monitoring station from 1956 to 1982; Navy and Coast Guard military activity left behind petroleum-contaminated soils and groundwater.
Veterans who served at these bases, or others throughout U.S.A., may be eligible for VA disability benefits related to toxins. Our VA-accredited attorneys proudly support North Carolina veterans in pursuing the maximum compensation available for service-connected conditions caused by environmental contamination.
Legal Resources and Lawyers Near You
Fayettteville
Cumberland County Veterans Services Office – 301 E Russell Street, Fayetteville, NC 28301; Phone: (910) 677‑2970
Raleigh
Raleigh Vet Center – 8851 Ellstree Lane, Suite 122, Raleigh, NC 27617; Phone: (919) 361‑6419
North Carolina VA Facilities Providing Veteran Assistance
Vet Centers
Vet Centers provide free, confidential support to veterans, service members, and their families in a non-clinical, community-based setting. They offer counseling services for issues like depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and military sexual trauma (MST).
Charlotte Vet Center — 2114 Ben Craig Drive, Suite 300, Charlotte, NC 28262; Phone: (704) 549‑8025
Gastonia Satellite (Charlotte Vet Center) — Gastonia Fire Station #4, 900 Armstrong Park Road, Gastonia, NC 28054; Phone: (704) 549‑8025
Charlotte Satellite (Charlotte Vet Center) — Johnson C. Smith University, 100 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte, NC 28216; Phone: (704) 549‑8025
Morganton Satellite (Charlotte Vet Center) — Burke Senior Center, 501 North Green Street, Morganton, NC 28655; Phone: (704) 549‑8025
Fayetteville Vet Center — 2301 Robeson Street, Suite 103, Fayetteville, NC 28305; Phone: (910) 488‑6252
Greensboro Vet Center — 3515 West Market Street, Suite 120, Greensboro, NC 27406; Phone: (336) 323‑2660
Greenville Vet Center — 2315 Dickinson Avenue, Suite 300, Greenville, NC 27834; Phone: (252) 355‑7920
Goldsboro Satellite (Greenville Vet Center) — Wayne County Veterans Services, 2001 East Ash Street, Goldsboro, NC 27530; Phone: (252) 355‑7920
Kinston Satellite (Greenville Vet Center) — Old Snow Hill Highway, Kinston, NC 28504; Phone: (252) 355‑7920
Morehead City Satellite (Greenville Vet Center) — Veterans Services Office, 3710 John Platt Drive, Morehead City, NC 28557; Phone: (252) 355‑7920
New Bern Satellite (Greenville Vet Center) — New Bern, NC; Phone: (252) 355‑7920
Roanoke Rapids Satellite (Greenville Vet Center) — Roanoke Rapids, NC; Phone: (252) 355‑7920
Rocky Mount Satellite (Greenville Vet Center) — Rocky Mount, NC; Phone: (252) 355‑7920
Wilson Satellite (Greenville Vet Center) — Wilson, NC; Phone: (252) 355‑7920
Jacksonville Vet Center — 221 Memorial Drive, Jacksonville, NC 28546; Phone: (910) 577‑1100
Raleigh Vet Center — 8851 Ellstree Lane, Suite 122, Raleigh, NC 27617; Phone: (919) 361‑6419
VA Medical centers and Clinics
Asheville VA Medical Center — 1100 Tunnel Road, Asheville, NC 28805; Phone: (828) 298‑7911
Durham VA Medical Center — 508 Fulton Street, Durham, NC 27705; Phone: (919) 286‑0411
Fayetteville VA Medical Center — 2300 Ramsey Street, Fayetteville, NC 28301; Phone: (910) 488‑2120
Wilmington Health Care Center — 1705 Gardner Road, Wilmington, NC 28405; Phone: (910) 343‑5300
W.G. “Bill” Hefner VA Medical Center — 1601 Brenner Avenue, Salisbury, NC 28144; Phone: (704) 638‑9000
Brunswick County CBOC — 18 Doctors Circle, Units 2 & 3, Supply, NC 28462; Phone: (910) 754‑6141
Goldsboro CBOC — 2610 Hospital Road, Goldsboro, NC 27534; Phone: (919) 731‑4809
Hamlet CBOC — 100 Jefferson Street, Hamlet, NC 28345; Phone: (910) 582‑3536
Jacksonville CBOC — 4006 Henderson Drive, Jacksonville, NC 28546; Phone: (910) 353‑6406
Robeson County CBOC — 139 Three Hunts Drive, Pembroke, NC 28372; Phone: (910) 272‑3220
Sanford CBOC — 3112 Tramway Road, Sanford, NC 27332; Phone: (919) 775‑6160
Housing Assistance and Support for Veterans in the State of North Carolina
In 2024 veteran homelessness in North Carolina has dropped by 51.3% compared to the state’s peak in 2012. As of October 2024, the VA has recognized three states and 53 communities for effectively ending veteran homelessness, including Fayetteville/Cumberland County and Winston-Salem in North Carolina.
Across the state, efforts to support homeless veterans involve a broad network of government agencies, nonprofits, and local organizations. The North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs collaborates with community partners to provide direct support. Continuums of Care (CoCs) coordinate local services across 12 regions, while Local Management Entities/Managed Care Organizations help vulnerable individuals, especially those with disabilities, find and retain housing.
The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency is currently prioritizing veterans in its Supportive Housing Development Program (SHDP), launching a special funding cycle for projects aimed at housing homeless or at-risk veterans. Veterans in need of immediate assistance should call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-4AID-VET (877-424-3838).
At Hill & Ponton, we’re especially committed to helping veterans who are struggling with housing instability or job loss. If the VA has denied your claim or assigned a rating that doesn’t reflect the severity of your condition, we’re here to help. Get a free case evaluation today. Our North Carolina VA disability appeal attorneys work on a contingency basis: you won’t pay us anything unless we win your case.