VA Disability Lawyers Proudly Serving Seattle Veterans

Our Legal Services for Seattle Veterans

At Hill & Ponton, we offer dedicated legal support to veterans in Seattle for a range of VA disability matters. Our experienced team can assist you with:

• Disability Compensation: We work to ensure you receive the maximum monthly disability compensation available for your service-connected conditions.
• Appeals: If your VA disability claim has been denied, we can help you navigate the complex VA appeals process. We will review your case, gather necessary evidence, and build a strong appeal to fight for the benefits you deserve.
• Increased Ratings: If your service-connected condition has worsened, or if you believe your initial disability rating was too low, we can help you file for an increased rating.
• Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC): We assist surviving spouses, children, or parents of service members or veterans who died from a service-related injury or illness.
• Special Monthly Compensation (SMC): This is an additional benefit for veterans with specific needs or particularly severe disabilities.
• Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU): If your service-connected disabilities prevent you from maintaining substantially gainful employment, you may be eligible for TDIU, which pays at the 100% disability rate, even if your combined rating is lower. 

When Should You Hire a VA Disability Lawyer?

While you can navigate the VA system on your own or with the help of a Veterans Service Officer (VSO), there are specific situations where an attorney can be particularly beneficial, especially for appeals. The key is finding a firm that focuses on VA disability law and has a proven history of success with appeals.

Hill & Ponton has a 96% success rate for the appeals we handle. Here’s what you’ll get:

• Legal Expertise: Appealing a VA decision involves complex legal arguments and interpretations of VA law and regulations. Our attorneys are trained to develop these arguments.
• Objective Perspective: A lawyer provides an objective review of your case and can identify weaknesses or areas that need strengthening.
• Evidence Development: Lawyers often know what specific evidence is needed to win an appeal and can help you obtain it, such as medical opinions or “nexus letters.”
• Navigating Complex Cases: If your case involves multiple conditions, toxic exposures, or intricate legal issues, a lawyer’s experience can be invaluable.
• Representation at Hearings: If your appeal goes to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA), an attorney can represent you at the hearing.

What Does It Take to Win Your Case?

Understanding why claims are often denied and what the VA requires is the first step toward a successful appeal. Claims can be denied for various reasons, including:

• Lack of a Current Diagnosis: You must have a current medical diagnosis for the condition you are claiming. For instance, stating you have back pain isn’t enough, you need a diagnosis like “degenerative disc disease”.
• No Clear “Nexus”: One of the most challenging part of a VA disability claim is the “nexus,” which is the link or connection between your current diagnosed disability and an injury, disease, or event during your military service. Without a strong nexus, the VA is likely to deny the claim. and then proof that this condition began or was aggravated during your service.
• Insufficient Medical Evidence: The VA requires thorough medical evidence to support your claim. This can include service medical records, private medical records, and VA medical records.
• Incomplete Forms or Missed Deadlines: Administrative errors can unfortunately lead to denials.

Our VA lawyers specialize in meticulously reviewing denial letters, identifying the reasons for denial, and developing a comprehensive strategy for your appeal. We focus on gathering the necessary evidence to satisfy these VA requirements.

Winning Toxic Exposure Claims

A significant aspect of modern VA claims involves toxic exposure. Many veterans who served in various places, in Washington State or elsewhere, may have been exposed to harmful substances during their service.

Several military facilities in the Seattle region are locations with potential toxic exposure, including:

• Puget Sound Naval Shipyard: An EPA site heavily contaminated with lead, mercury, PCBs, sulfur dioxide, cyanide and other toxins.
• Bangor Trident Submarine Base (Naval Base Kitsap): A known site of PFAS contamination, potentially putting at risk Seattle veterans who served here.
• Joint Base Lewis-McChord: Located south of Seattle, this massive Army and Air Force installation (encompassing Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base) has had significant water contamination problems, primarily from PFAS and other toxic substances including TCE and VOCs.

For Seattle veterans whose toxic exposure claims have been denied or underrated, consulting with one of our VA disability lawyers can provide a clear path forward and increase the likelihood of a successful outcome in the appeals process.

You can find out more about our successful cases from past clients – read their stories to see how we’ve helped veterans like you overturn VA denials and get higher ratings.