If the VA denied your disability claim or gave you a rating that doesn’t truly reflect how your condition affects your life, you’re not alone. Many Puerto Rico veterans begin the process hopeful, only to end up frustrated by missing records, confusing decisions, or an exposure the VA refuses to concede.
The truth is, the VA system is complicated. A single overlooked detail or missing piece of medical evidence can cause an otherwise valid claim to be denied or underrated. And far too often, the burden falls on the veteran to fix it. That’s where we step in.
Our attorneys are VA-accredited and experienced in every stage of the appeals process. We know what the VA looks for, and how to present strong, evidence-based arguments that get results. This matters even more in Puerto Rico, where toxic exposure and Agent Orange claims often turn on proving direct service connection rather than relying on a presumption.
Puerto Rico is home to an estimated 72,728 veterans, and roughly 37,936 of them already receive monthly VA disability compensation (according to the VA 2025 Annual Benefits Report). Many more are still missing out on the support they have earned. If you served your country and are now fighting for recognition and fair compensation, Hill & Ponton is ready to stand with you.
Our Legal Services for Puerto Rico Veterans
- Disability Compensation: We help Puerto Rico veterans obtain the monthly compensation they deserve for service-connected physical and mental health conditions. Our team gathers medical records, military service documentation, and expert medical opinions to build a strong, evidence-backed case and fight for every dollar you’ve earned.
- Appeals: If your VA claim was denied or you received a disability rating that doesn’t reflect the true severity of your condition, we can handle the appeals process on your behalf. We’ll present a thorough, well-supported case to challenge the VA’s decision and pursue the benefits you’re entitled to receive.
- Rating Increases: If your condition has worsened since the VA issued your initial rating, you may qualify for a higher rating (and greater monthly benefits). We help veterans document those changes and secure the increase they deserve.
- Survivor Benefits: We proudly support the spouses, children, and parents of Puerto Rico veterans who died from service-connected conditions. Our attorneys guide families through the process of obtaining death and survivor benefits under VA programs.
- Special Monthly Compensation: Veterans with severe or multiple disabilities (such as the loss of use of limbs, blindness, or need for Aid & Attendance) may qualify for Special Monthly Compensation, which provides financial support beyond the standard 100% disability benefits.
- Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability: If your service-connected disabilities prevent you from holding steady, full-time employment, you may be eligible for TDIU. This benefit pays at the 100% rate even if your combined VA rating is below 100%. We help disabled veterans prove unemployability using comprehensive medical, vocational, and service evidence to secure the compensation they deserve.
What Compensation and Benefits Are Available to You?
Your VA disability rating is the foundation of the financial and medical support you’ve earned through your service. This rating, set by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, measures how much your service-connected condition affects your daily life, including your ability to work, care for yourself, and maintain your overall well-being.
Ratings are assigned in 10% increments, ranging from 10% to 100%. As the percentage increases, so does your monthly, tax-free compensation. If you have more than one service-connected condition, the VA uses a combined ratings formula that often results in a total rating that’s lower than what you might expect (which is why accuracy is so important). Even a small increase in your rating can lead to a significant rise in your monthly payment.
Below are the current VA monthly compensation rates for a single Puerto Rico veteran with no dependents:
- 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
These amounts are updated yearly to reflect cost-of-living increases. Veterans with dependents (spouse, children or dependent parents) also receive additional compensation.
Beyond federal VA benefits, Puerto Rico offers its own benefits for disabled veterans and their families, including property tax exemptions, tuition assistance, hunting and fishing license waivers, and other programs administered through the Oficina del Procurador del Veterano.
If you believe your current VA rating doesn’t reflect the full impact of your condition, Hill & Ponton can pursue a rating increase to ensure that every type of support available to Puerto Rico veterans is within reach.
Work with us to get your benefits
When Should You Hire a VA Disability Lawyer?
Many Puerto Rico veterans begin their VA disability claim on their own, and for many, that’s the right first step. But if your claim is denied or your disability rating doesn’t match the severity of your condition, that’s when legal representation can make all the difference. The VA appeals process can be confusing and time-consuming, with strict deadlines and evolving rules that are hard to keep up with. One missing form, overlooked piece of evidence, or late filing can set your case back months, or even longer.
Having a VA-accredited lawyer on your side gives you a knowledgeable advocate who understands how the system works. At Hill & Ponton, VA disability law is all we do. Our attorneys focus exclusively on helping veterans appeal denied or underrated claims. We handle the details that matter: gathering medical records, locating critical service documents, securing strong medical opinions, and building a compelling appeal. Then we present your case clearly, showing how your disability affects your daily life, your ability to work, and your long-term health.
Your VA Appeal Options
- Supplemental Claim: If you’ve found new and relevant evidence (such as updated medical records, a new diagnosis, or service documents that weren’t reviewed originally), this option lets you submit that information for reconsideration. This is often the right lane for a Puerto Rico Agent Orange claim denied before you gathered military records research tying your service to a documented test site.
- Higher-Level Review: If you think the VA made a mistake the first time, you can request a fresh review by a more senior VA employee. No new evidence is allowed, but this can be a quicker way to resolve clear errors.
- Board of Veterans’ Appeals Review: The final level of appeal lets you choose a direct review, add new evidence, or request a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge. While this process takes much longer than other types of appeal, it also offers the most thorough review.
If the VA isn’t recognizing the full impact of your service-connected condition, we can help. We offer free case evaluations, charge no upfront fees, and only get paid if we win. Tell us your story and let us fight on your behalf for the benefits you’ve earned.
Winning Your VA Disability Appeal
Far too many veterans in Puerto Rico find themselves frustrated by the VA system: stuck waiting, appealing, or wondering why a legitimate claim was denied. In most cases, it’s because the VA didn’t get the right documentation or failed to properly connect the veteran’s health condition to their military service. To approve a VA disability claim, the VA needs three essential elements:
- Current Diagnosis: Proof from a licensed medical provider that you have a current, documented health condition.
- In-Service Event: Evidence of something that happened during your service (such as an injury, illness, traumatic incident, or toxic exposure) that could have caused or worsened your condition.
- Nexus: A medical opinion that links your current disability to your time in service, stating that it is “at least as likely as not” connected to your military experience.
Even when a veteran clearly meets these criteria, missing or weak evidence in one area can lead to a denial or underrating. Common reasons Puerto Rico veterans lose VA claims include:
- No clear medical connection between their condition and service
- Incomplete or outdated medical records
- Missing appeal or supplemental evidence deadlines
- Relying on location alone for a toxic exposure claim, without records tying service dates to a documented exposure site
- VA mistakes in interpreting service records or medical history
Hill & Ponton focuses solely on VA disability claims and appeals. Our VA-accredited attorneys work with trusted medical experts to obtain compelling nexus letters and ensure that your appeal is thorough, accurate, and submitted on time.
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VA Disability for Agent Orange and Other Toxic Exposures in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico has a documented history of military toxic exposure, and for many veterans the most significant issue is Agent Orange. Department of Defense records confirm that tactical herbicides, including 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T, were tested in Puerto Rico from 1956 to 1957 and again from 1966 to 1968, when defoliants were evaluated on tropical vegetation in the western part of the island.
But on January 27, 2020, the VA and DoD released an updated list that removed Puerto Rico, along with roughly 40 other locations, from the recognized herbicide-exposure locations. Veterans who had been winning or progressing on their claims suddenly started getting denied.
Puerto Rico veterans can still win VA disability claims for Agent Orange or for other toxic exposures (such as PFAS) by proving contact with the toxin and the development of a medical condition associated with it.
Documented Sites with Toxic Exposure
- Fort Buchanan (Guaynabo): The Army has investigated PFAS exposure at Fort Buchanan under the DoD cleanup program.
- Former Roosevelt Roads Naval Station (Ceiba): Military records research confirmed no herbicide presence but its documented contamination involves petroleum, solvents, and PCBs being addressed under EPA oversight.
- Naval Station Vieques / Camp Garcia: A former bombing range and EPA Superfund site contaminated with substances such as heavy metals, napalm, and depleted uranium.
If your toxic exposure claim was denied, our team can help you build the individualized exposure record these cases require. We offer a free evaluation and only get paid if we win your claim.
Puerto Rico VA Facilities Providing Veteran Assistance
Veterans Service Offices
- Oficina del Procurador del Veterano de Puerto Rico (Public Advocate for Veterans Affairs): Edificio Mercantil Plaza, Piso 10, Oficina 1001, Hato Rey, PR 00918. Phone: 787-758-5760
- San Juan VA Regional Benefit Office: 50 Carr. 165, Guaynabo, PR 00968. Phone: 800-827-1000
VA Medical Centers
- San Juan VA Medical Center (VA Caribbean Healthcare System): 10 Calle Casia, San Juan, PR 00921. Phone: 787-641-7582 or 888-820-0230
VA Clinics / CBOcs
Puerto Rico’s community-based outpatient clinics route through the VA Caribbean Healthcare System main line at 787-641-7582 or 888-820-0230.
- Arecibo VA Clinic: PR #2 Int. PR 660 Km 78, Hato Abajo Ward, Arecibo, PR 00612
- Ceiba VA Clinic: PR-3, Km 54.9, Lot 3, Pueblo Ward, Ceiba, PR 00735
- Comerio VA Clinic: Jose de Diego Street, Suite 15, Comerio, PR 00782
- Guayama VA Clinic: 850 Calle Arnaldo Bristol, FISA Building, 1st Floor, Suite 1, Guayama, PR 00784
- Mayaguez VA Clinic: 175 Algarrobo Avenue, Mayaguez, PR 00682
- Ponce VA Clinic: 1802 Calle Navarra, Ponce, PR 00716
- Utuado VA Clinic: Calle Isaac Gonzalez Esq. Ledesma, Hospital de la Montana, Utuado, PR 00641
- Vieques VA Clinic: Road 997, Centro de Salud Susana Centeno, Vieques, PR 00765
Vet Centers
- Arecibo Vet Center: 50 Gonzalo Marin Street, Arecibo, PR 00612. Phone: 787-879-4510
- Ponce Vet Center: 35 Mayor Street, Suite 1, Ponce, PR 00730. Phone: 787-841-3260
- San Juan Vet Center: 7th Tabonuco Street, Suite 4, San Patricio Office Center, Guaynabo, PR 00968. Phone: 787-749-4410
Housing Assistance and Support for Puerto Rico Veterans
Veterans across Puerto Rico who are facing housing insecurity have access to a network of VA support. The VA’s homeless veteran programs are coordinated through the VA Caribbean Healthcare System and its clinics across the island.
If VA disability benefits have been denied or are too low, contributing to the risk of homelessness, legal assistance can often help secure the correct compensation.
At Hill & Ponton, we prioritize veterans dealing with housing insecurity or unemployment, and don’t charge anything for taking a case. Contact our VA disability lawyers today for a free evaluation of your claim.