Veterans Benefits

Veterans Benefits are perhaps the most misunderstood and underutilized resources available to millions of veterans and their families.  While it is commonly known that certain benefits are available for the brave men and women who served in our armed forces, many veterans (and their families) are unaware that they could be eligible for a wide range of benefits through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs even if they did not directly retire from the military or suffer injuries in the line of duty.  Additionally, many senior wartime veterans and the surviving spouses of wartime veterans are unaware that they can receive assistance with their Assisted Living Facility costs and Home Healthcare costs through the VA Aid & Attendance and Housebound program.

Our firm focuses on serving those veterans, surviving spouses and dependent children who may be eligible for the following benefits:

• Aid & Attendance and Housebound:  Veterans and survivors who are eligible for a VA pension and require the aid and attendance of another person, or are housebound, may be eligible for additional monetary payment. These benefits are paid in addition to monthly pension, and they are not paid without eligibility to Pension.

• Death Pension: The VA Death Pension is a benefit paid to eligible dependents of deceased wartime veterans.

• Dependency and Indemnity Compensation: This is a monthly benefit paid to eligible survivors of certain deceased veterans.

• Parents DIC:  Parents' Dependency and Indemnity Compensation is an income-based monthly benefit for the parents of a military service member or veteran who has died.

• Survivor Benefits:  Surviving family members of veterans are entitled to certain benefits that can help ease their financial difficulties.  When a loved one dies, it can be emotionally difficult to look into available benefits, but this process should be done as soon as possible to prevent eligibility problems.

Often, many of the eligible beneficiaries are initially denied these benefits when a claim is filed.  Applicants should be aware that the decisions for these claims can be appealed by veterans and their eligible family members.  The process for appeals generally begins with the Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA) in Washington, D.C.  Once a claim has been filed and consequently denied, the veteran or other potentially eligible beneficiary has sixty days to file for an appeal with their regional office. 

Legislation was passed and came into effect on June 20, 2007 which provides veterans the option of retaining an attorney after the first denial by the Department of Veterans Affairs at the “Notice of Disagreement” (NOD) stage.

The Department of Veterans Affairs benefits claims and appeals process can be complicated.  If a veteran or a veteran’s family members have received a denial of benefits to which they believe they are entitled, it is in their best interest to contact an attorney who is familiar with veterans benefits to assist them with the application and appeals process.