As of 2020, nearly 80,000 Oregon veterans were receiving disability compensation benefits. But across the state, from Portland to Medford and from Bend to the coast, many of Oregon’s approximately 271,000 veterans are still missing out on the full benefits and resources available to them.
As VA-accredited attorneys, we have successfully represented hundreds of disabled veterans in Oregon and thousands more nationwide. We would be honored to do the same for you. Our law firm was founded by a veteran, giving us a profound understanding of the sacrifices you’ve made and the challenges you may be facing.
At Hill & Ponton, we believe in putting veterans first. You pay no attorney fees unless we win your appeal and get you the benefits you deserve.
Our Legal Services for Oregon Veterans
At Hill & Ponton, we specialize in assisting veterans who have already filed a claim and have been denied or given a low rating. Here is what we can do for you:
- Disability Compensation: We fight to get you the maximum disability compensation you are entitled to for injuries or diseases that were caused by or worsened during your active military service.
- Appeals: If your claim for disability benefits was denied, we can help you navigate the complex VA appeals process. We have extensive experience building strong appeals to get the VA to reconsider its decision.
- Increased Ratings: If your service-connected condition has worsened, you may be entitled to a higher disability rating and increased monthly compensation. We can help you file for an increase and provide the medical evidence needed to support your claim.
- 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): We can help you pursue SMC, a higher rate of compensation for veterans with specific and severe disabilities, such as the loss of a limb or blindness.
- Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU): If your service-connected disabilities prevent you from maintaining substantially gainful employment, we can help you apply for TDIU benefits, which pay at the 100% disability rate even if your combined rating is lower.
Disability Ratings and Compensation
A disability rating is a percentage assigned by the VA that represents the severity of your service-connected condition. This rating, which ranges from 0% to 100%, determines the amount of monthly tax-free compensation you receive.
If you have multiple service-connected conditions, the VA uses a specific formula to calculate your combined disability rating. This is not simple addition. For example, a 50% rating and a 30% rating do not combine to an 80% rating.
You can use our VA Disability Calculator to estimate your combined rating and monthly payment.
Here’s how much an unmarried Oregon 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
Oregon State Benefits for Disabled Veterans
The state of Oregon offers disabled veterans a range of benefits, including 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 navigate the VA system on your own or with the help of a Veteran Service Officer (VSO), there are distinct advantages to hiring an experienced VA disability lawyer for your appeal. The laws and regulations governing VA benefits are constantly changing, and an attorney can help you stay current on these developments.
If you’re an Oregon veteran struggling with a denied VA disability claim or an unfavorable rating, the right legal representation can make a big difference in the outcome of your appeal. An experienced Oregon VA appeal lawyer will guide you through the process, protect your rights, and fight to ensure you receive the benefits you deserve.
At Hill & Ponton, we focus exclusively on appealing denied claims and obtaining increases in ratings and compensation, where our legal expertise can make the most significant difference.
We are selective about the cases we accept to ensure we can dedicate the full force of our expertise to each veteran we represent – and we win 96% of the appeals we handle. You can read about some of our successes and hear from those we have helped on this page.
What It Takes to Win Your Appeal
Understanding the appeals process is the first step toward winning the benefits you deserve. When reviewing your case, the VA looks for three key requirements:
- Current Medical Diagnosis: The veteran must have a current diagnosis of a disease or disability from a qualified medical professional.
- In-Service Event or Injury: There must be evidence of an event, injury, or illness that occurred during military service.
- Medical Nexus: A medical professional must provide an opinion linking the diagnosis to the in-service event or injury. This “nexus” is the crucial connection establishing that the diagnosed condition is service-connected.
The VA denies a significant number of disability claims, often for correctable reasons. Our experienced legal team can help you gather the necessary evidence to build a winning appeal.
Get a free case evaluation
VA Disability for Toxic Exposure
There’s been an increase in disability claims from Vietnam veterans related to toxic exposures like Agent Orange. Due to multiple deployments, post-9/11 Oregon veterans are also claiming disability at a higher rate.
Many Oregon veterans developed serious health issues years after exposure to hazardous materials during their service, either domestically and internationally. Oregon itself has several military installations associated with environmental hazards.
- Camp Adair (Adair Village): Contamination includes pentachlorophenol (PCP), dioxins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and copper, primarily from a former plywood manufacturing facility and general military operations. There are also reports of unexploded ordnance and potential chemical/radioactive spills from its time as a combat engineer training base.
- Umatilla Army Depot (Hermiston): Contamination includes explosives (such as RDX, HMX, TNT, dinitrotoluene), metals (antimony, lead, beryllium, barium, cobalt, silver, thallium, potassium), and pesticides (DDT, DDD, DDE) in groundwater and soil due to past demilitarization and disposal operations, including discharge into unlined lagoons.
- Portland Air National Guard Base (Portland): Contamination includes PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) from the use of firefighting foam.
Other Oregon bases contaminated with PFAS:
- Anderson Readiness Center (Salem)
- Bend National Guard Site – COTEF
- Biak Training Center (Powell Butte)
- Camp Florence
- Camp Rilea (Warrenton)
- Christmas Valley Air Force Station
- Roseburg Armory
If you or a loved one served at these or other installations and believe you were exposed to hazardous substances, you might be eligible for VA benefits. Our VA-accredited attorneys can provide Oregon veterans with the experienced legal support needed to pursue the maximum compensation available for their service-connected disabilities.
Legal Resources and Lawyers Near You
Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs: Provides state-specific resources, including assistance with claims, housing, employment, and education. Address: 700 Summer St. NE, Salem, OR 97301. Phone: 1-800-692-9666
Oregon VA Facilities Providing Veteran Assistance
Vet Centers
Vet Centers offer confidential readjustment counseling for veterans and their families.
Central Oregon Vet Center: 1645 NE Forbes Road, Bend, OR 97701 – Phone: 541-749-2112
Eugene Vet Center: 190 East 11th Avenue, Eugene, OR 97401 – Phone: 541-465-6918
Grants Pass Vet Center: 135 N.E. Steiger Street, Grants Pass, OR 97526-3214 – Phone: 541-479-6912
Portland, OR Vet Center: 1505 NE 122nd Avenue, Portland, OR 97230 – Phone: 503-688-5361
Salem Vet Center: 2645 Portland Road, NE, Salem, OR 97301 – Phone: 503-362-9911
Medical Centers
VA Portland Health Care System: 3710 SW U.S. Veterans Hospital Road, Portland, OR 97239 – Phone: 503-220-8262 or 800-949-1004
Roseburg VA Health Care System: 913 NW Garden Valley Blvd., Roseburg, OR 97471-6513 – Phone: 541-440-1000
White City VA Medical Center (VA Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center & Clinics): 8495 Crater Lake Highway, White City, OR 97503 – Phone: 541-826-2111
Main Va clinics
Community Resource and Referral Center (Portland VA Clinic): 308 SW 1st Ave, Portland, OR 97204 – Phone: 503-808-1256 or 800-949-1004 x51256
Bend CBOC (Robert D. Maxwell Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic): 2650 NE Courtney Drive, Bend, OR 97701 – Phone: 541-647-5200 or 855-213-8002
Salem CBOC: 1750 McGilchrist St. SE, Suite 130, Salem, OR 97302 – Phone: 971-304-2200
Other Va clinics
Astoria VA Clinic: 3196 Marine Drive, Astoria, OR 97103-2734 – Phone: 503-220-8262, ext. 52593
Brookings VA Clinic: 840 Railroad St, Brookings, OR 97415 – Phone: 541-412-1152
Eastern Oregon VA Clinic: 635 Hwy 20 North, Suite #4, Hines, OR 97738 – Phone: 541-573-3339
Eugene Health Care Center: 3355 Chad Dr., Eugene, OR 97408 – Phone: 541-607-0897
Eugene VA Downtown Clinic: 211 E 7th Ave Suite 118, Eugene, OR 97401 – Phone: 541-440-1000
Fairview Clinic: 1800 NE Market Drive, Fairview, OR 97024 – Phone: 503-660-0600
Grants Pass VA Clinic: 1877 Williams Highway, Grants Pass, OR 97527 – Phone: 541-955-5551
Hillsboro CBOC: 1925 NE Stucki Ave., Suite #300, Hillsboro, OR 97006 – Phone: 503-906-5000
Klamath Falls CBOC: 2225 North El Dorado Blvd., Klamath Falls, OR 97601 – Phone: 541-273-6206
La Grande (OR) Community Based Outpatient Clinic: 202 12th Street, La Grande, OR 97850 – Phone: 541-963-0627
Lincoln City Clinic: 4422 NE Devils Lake Road, Suite 2, Lincoln City, OR 97367 – Phone: 541-265-0547
Loren R. Kaufman VA Clinic (The Dalles Outreach Clinic): 704 Veterans Drive, The Dalles, OR 97058 – Phone: 541-296-3937
Newport VA Clinic: 36 Southwest Nye Street, Newport, OR 97365 – Phone: 541-265-4182
North Bend VA Clinic: 2191 Marion Street, North Bend, OR 97459 – Phone: 541-756-8002
North Coast CBOC: 91400 N. Neacoxie Street, building 7315, Warrenton, OR 97146 – Phone: 503-220-8262 X 52593
West Linn CBOC: 1750 SW Blankenship Rd Ste 300, West Linn, OR 97068 – Phone: 503-210-4900
Housing Assistance and Support for Veterans in the State of Oregon
Over 1,400 Oregon veterans are estimated to be homeless on any given night, while countless more face the threat of homelessness, driven by poverty, absent support systems, and inadequate living situations.
The VA and its partners offer a range of programs and services to assist homeless veterans and those at risk of homelessness, with specific considerations for disabled veterans. Veterans can connect with with a social worker or homeless services coordinator at the nearest VA Medical Center, or reach out to local veterans organizations.
Hill & Ponton specializes in assisting veterans who face housing insecurity or lack of employment. If you’ve been denied or underrated by the VA, get a free evaluation here. Our Oregon VA disability appeal lawyers don’t charge anything upfront and only get paid if you get paid.