VA Disability Attorney Houston
INSURANCE & CONTRACT CLAIMS
That's Not the End.
Nearly 1 in 3 VA disability claims is denied — and most of those decisions can be challenged. You served. You deserve benefits that reflect it.
Reich & Binstock has represented Houston veterans for decades — handling everything from initial claims to federal court appeals. We don't get paid unless you do.
No upfront fees. No fee unless we win.
Houston Veterans Disability Lawyer Providing Legal Assistance Throughout Harris County
If you’re a veteran seeking VA disability benefits, having a skilled attorney can make all the difference. The Houston VA disability attorney team at Reich & Binstock, a trusted law firm, provides legal assistance for VA disability claims and appeals, helping veterans secure the resources they deserve.
These numbers highlight just how crucial experienced legal representation is for veterans navigating VA disability claims:
31% have a disability, and 47.4% of veterans with a service-connected condition are rated at 70% or higher.
Our law office represents veterans throughout Harris County, including:
- Pasadena
- Sugar Land
- The Woodlands
- Pearland
- League City
- Baytown
- Conroe
- Galveston
Schedule a free consultation today to protect your rights and maximize your VA disability benefits. Call 713-622-7271 or use our contact form.
Types of Houston VA Disability Claims Our Legal Team Handles
- Service-connected disability
- PACT Act claims
- PTSD and mental health claims
- Secondary condition claims
- Special Monthly Compensation claims
- Total and Permanent Disability claims
- Dependency and Indemnity Compensation and survivor benefits
- Military base accident claims
- Injuries from defective military equipment
Service-Connected Disability Claims
Service-connected disabilities are any health problems caused, aggravated, or worsened by serving the country. A VA disability attorney in Houston can help establish connections in several ways:
- Direct Connection: began during active duty
- Aggravation: military service made a pre-existing diagnosis worse
- Presumptive Connection: applies to toxic exposure, POW-related illnesses, and other specific cases
- Secondary Connection: a new diagnosis caused, aggravated, or worsened by an already service-connected condition.
PACT Act Claims (Toxic Exposure)
Our Houston VA disability attorney team provides assistance for toxic exposure claims in Texas. This includes:
- Burn pit exposure (Iraq, Afghanistan, Southwest Asia)
- Agent Orange exposure (Vietnam, Thailand, Korea)
- Gulf War illness presumptives
- Radiation exposure
- Contaminated water claims (Camp Lejeune injury claims and PFAS water claims for military families living on base)
PACT Act presumptive conditions include:
Cancers | Non‑Cancer Illnesses | Agent Orange–Related |
|---|---|---|
Brain cancer | Asthma | High blood pressure |
Gastrointestinal cancer: esophageal, stomach, small intestine, colorectal | Chronic bronchitis, rhinitis, or sinusitis | MGUS |
Glioblastoma | COPD | |
Head cancer (oral cavity, pharynx, salivary glands) | Constrictive or obliterative bronchiolitis | |
Kidney cancer | Emphysema | |
Hodgkin & non-Hodgkin lymphoma | Granulomatous disease | |
Lung cancer (non-small cell and small cell lung carcinoma) | Interstitial lung disease (ILD) | |
Melanoma | Pleuritis | |
Thyroid cancer and pharyngeal cancer | Pulmonary fibrosis | |
Pancreatic cancer | Sarcoidosis | |
Reproductive cancer: prostate, testicular, ovarian, uterine, cervical |
PTSD VA Disability and Other Mental Health Claims
Is PTSD a disability? Yes. PTSD is a fully recognized service-connected disability.
Mental health conditions are among the most common and most frequently underrated claims for VA disability benefits. Combat veterans face a lower evidentiary burden than non-combat veterans.
Additionally, depression and anxiety can be filed alone or secondary to a service-connected disability, such as chronic pain or traumatic brain injury (TBI) claims in Houston.
VA Disability Secondary Condition Claims
VA disability secondary conditions are those caused or aggravated by an injury sustained while serving. The following are often overlooked but the secondary condition benefits can be significantly higher than standard VA disability benefits:
Category | Common Secondary Conditions |
|---|---|
Mental Health | Depression, Anxiety, and Adjustment Disorder |
Sleep Disorders | Sleep apnea, Insomnia disorder |
Musculoskeletal & Orthopedic | Radiculopathy, Arthritis, Altered gait (e.g., knee causing hip/back issues), Chronic pain syndrome |
Neurological | Migraines, Chronic headaches, and peripheral neuropathy |
Cardiovascular | Hypertension, Heart disease |
Gastrointestinal | GERD, Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Peptic ulcers |
Endocrine & Metabolic | Diabetes mellitus, Obesity/weight gain |
Respiratory | Secondary respiratory disorders |
Genitourinary | Erectile dysfunction, Urinary dysfunction |
Medication-Induced | Cognitive impairment, Drowsiness/fatigue, Gastrointestinal complications |
Other Residual Issues | Surgical scarring, Functional impairments related to treatment |
Special Monthly Compensation (SMC)
Special Monthly Compensation is offered in addition to regular disability compensation for those with particularly severe health problems. Common examples include:
- Loss of use of limbs or amputation injuries in Houston
- Blindness or severe vision impairment
- Aid and Attendance needs
- Housebound status
Total and Permanent Disability Claims
A Total and Permanent (T&P) disability designation means the person is totally disabled and unlikely to improve. Total disability protects the person from future reductions and unlocks additional VA benefits. If you believe you meet this threshold or if your injury hasn’t been designated permanent, our Houston veterans law firm can help.
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) / Survivor Benefits
Eligible family members can receive tax-free DIC pay if the deceased veteran succumbed to a service-connected disability or was rated totally disabled at the time of death. We offer experienced Houston death claims assistance. We assist in applying for DIC and appealing denials with the compassion loved ones deserve.
Military Base Accidents
When service members, civilian employees, contractors, or visitors are injured on base or government-owned property, liability is complex. The FTCA allows victims to seek compensation but imposes strict requirements. Our Houston veteran attorneys have a deep understanding of government regulations involving premises liability claims in Texas.
Injuries From Defective Military Equipment
When victims are harmed by defective military equipment, we help pursue Texas product liability claims. Given the involvement of government contractors and federal procurement regulations, these cases are complex but still pursuable, and victims deserve to know their options.
Common Cases Our Houston Veteran Disability Appeals Lawyer Team Handles
Our Houston veterans’ attorneys fight for accurate percentages, file veterans’ claims for individual unemployability, and ensure no VA benefits are unclaimed.
Increased VA Disability Rating
Our Houston veterans’ disability attorney team helps clients receive higher scores for veterans’ benefits when the following apply:
- Your condition has worsened since your original rating decision
- New evidence supports a higher score
- Combined ratings don’t reflect the severity of disability
Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU)
Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TIDU) is one of the most valuable and underused VA benefits. If your service-connected disabilities prevent you from holding gainful employment, you can receive 100% VA disability benefits for individual unemployability even if your combined score is lower.
Our Houston VA disability attorney team has helped many veterans qualify for individual unemployability who didn’t even know it existed.
VA Disability Appeals and Claims in Houston, TX
- Legal assistance for supplemental claims, higher-level reviews, and BVA appeals
- United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims representation
- Understanding how to fight back when initial claims are denied, received low scores, or have missed effective dates
We represent veterans in Houston, TX, from the initial filing through final decision.
Earlier Effective Date Claims
- The date your benefits begin determines how much back pay you receive
- If staff delay processing or have other errors, you may be entitled to an earlier effective date
- Informal cases and intent to file can protect your original start date
Our Houston veterans’ disability attorneys have helped many servicemembers secure significant retroactive payments by representing them in earlier effective date claims.
Military Sexual Trauma MST Related Appeals
Military sexual trauma claims in Texas involve relaxed evidentiary standards. Victims don’t need a formal report or a corroborating record to file a report. Your own statement can serve as the basis.
Common service-connected disabilities include PTSD, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance abuse, and certain physical ailments stemming from the trauma.
- There is a trained VHA MST coordinator at every regional office.
- You have the right to request a same-gender C&P examiner for MST evaluations.
- If a previous MST claim was denied, recent changes may give you strong grounds for an appeal.
Aid And Attendance Claims
- are available to disabled vets who need help with daily living activities, and
- provide additional monthly disability benefits on top of existing payments.
VA Pension Claims
- are need-based VA disability benefits for wartime vets with limited income and assets,
- don’t require a service-connected disability,
- are based on wartime service, age, permanent disability, and financial need, and
- can be combined with Aid and Attendance for additional support.
Secondary Benefits For Disabled Veterans
Prior servicemembers may qualify for secondary veterans’ benefits, such as:
🏥 Healthcare: medical care, mental health care, and prescription coverage
🎓 Education: Transferred GI Bill benefits, vocational rehabilitation (Chapter 31)
🏠 Home Loans: VA-backed home loans; adapted housing grants for certain disabilities
👨👩👧 Dependents: Additional monthly pay for spouse, children, and parents at 30%+
☠️ Survivors: Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) for eligible family members of deceased veterans
Many veterans are underrated. This means VA decisions have assigned lower percentages than deserved. If rating decisions don’t reflect the impact of a veteran’s disability, they have the right to appeal.
Houston VA Malpractice and FTCA Claims
If you’ve received VA treatment, physicians must meet the accepted standards of care. Our law firm offers Houston malpractice claims assistance under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA). While FTCA cases involve different procedures than medical malpractice, we have decades of experience navigating malpractice and FTCA claims processes.
Process For Securing VA Disability Benefits in Houston, Texas
Filing for VA disability benefits in Houston, TX, doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Our veterans’ attorneys can help. Here’s how the initial claim works:
Our Houston veteran’s law firm helps when veterans’ claims are denied or if rating decisions are unfair. Contact our VA disability lawyer team to evaluate your next steps.
Houston VA Disability Appeals Process and Legal Services
Our Houston VA appeals lawyers represent veterans through the following procedures:
Appeals for Supplemental Claims:
- New and relevant evidence not previously considered
- Additional medical records or opinions
- Buddy statements and lay evidence
- Same evidence, senior reviewer
- Identifying Veterans Affairs errors in the original decision
- No new evidence allowed
Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA):
- Direct review by a veterans’ law judge
- Options for submitting evidence and hearings
- Longer timeline
U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC):
- Court appeal after Board of Veterans’ Appeals denial
- Applies to legal errors only; no new facts can be submitted
- Strict 120-day filing deadline
Veterans Service Officer vs Veterans Disability Attorney
Veterans Service Officers (VSOs) offer free assistance for standard cases. Private veterans disability attorneys are better suited to specific, high-stakes, and complex claims involving VA benefits.
The advertised high approval rates for VSOs are misleading. To understand how often they get it wrong, you have to look at what happens in independent courts.
In recent years, the CAVC has remanded or reversed between 80% of BVA decisions. So, when victims go to court, VSOs have made an error nearly 9 out of 10 times, according to the government’s data.
The following additional information shows why government statistics suggesting that VSOs and private veteran attorneys produce similar results are misleading:
- VSOs tend to represent easier cases: these are likely to be approved regardless
- Private veterans disability attorneys typically take harder cases: our VA lawyers help clients who have already been denied multiple times. Winning 40% of those reflects far greater effectiveness than winning 36% easy ones.
- Remands are counted as neutral outcomes: repremands mean waiting years and frequently signal that proof wasn’t submitted in the first place.
So, VSOs are sufficient for easy-to-win cases. But if your VA disability claim is complex, high-value, or has already been denied, the difference in representation matters significantly.
VA Disability Conditions List and Ratings
If you’ve been assigned a disability rating or are filing the initial claim, understanding that number is of serious importance. These determine how much you’ll receive, eligibility for dependent benefits, and access to additional programs.
- 10-20%: Basic monthly payments
- 30-100%: Additional compensation for dependents
- 100%: Maximum VA disability benefits (total service-connected disability benefits) = $3,938.58/month for a single veteran in 2026, full scope of VA benefits including priority healthcare, dental care, and more
2026 VA Disability Rates
VA disability rates are rounded to the nearest dollar:
← Scroll to see all columns →
| Dependent & Rating | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% | 100% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran Only | $180 | $357 | $552 | $796 | $1,133 | $1,435 | $1,808 | $2,102 | $2,362 | $3,939 |
| Spouse | — | — | $617 | $883 | $1,242 | $1,566 | $1,961 | $2,277 | $2,559 | $4,158 |
| Child | — | — | $596 | $854 | $1,206 | $1,523 | $1,910 | $2,219 | $2,494 | $4,085 |
| 2 Children | — | — | $628 | $886 | $1,272 | $1,589 | $1,976 | $2,285 | $2,560 | $4,151 |
| Parent | — | — | $604 | $866 | $1,221 | $1,540 | $1,931 | $2,242 | $2,520 | $4,115 |
| Spouse + 1 Child | — | — | $666 | $948 | $1,323 | $1,663 | $2,074 | $2,406 | $2,704 | $4,319 |
| Spouse + 2 Children | — | — | $698 | $980 | $1,389 | $1,729 | $2,140 | $2,472 | $2,770 | $4,385 |
| Spouse + Parent | — | — | $669 | $953 | $1,330 | $1,671 | $2,084 | $2,417 | $2,717 | $4,334 |
| Aid & Attendance | $61 | $81 | $61 | $81 | $101 | $121 | $141 | $161 | $181 | $201 |
| Child Over 18 | $105 | $105 | $105 | $157 | $211 | $211 | $246 | $292 | $352 | $352 |
*Estimated for multiple children
VA Claim Denied: Common Reasons and How Our Law Firm Helps Veterans in Houston, TX
Our Houston VA disability lawyers see the same reasons veterans’ claims are repeatedly denied. Here are the most common:
Lack of Medical Nexus (No Connection to Military Service): Staff denied the initial claim because they don’t believe you have a service-connected disability.
What we do: We work with independent experts to obtain a nexus letter. This ties your diagnosis to the time spent serving. This is typically the most important evidence for getting service-connected disability benefits during the VA appeal process.
Insufficient Medical Evidence: Staff found that your service medical records don’t adequately support the existence or severity of a service-connected disability.
What we do: We review your medical history, identify gaps flagged by Veterans Affairs, and coordinate with treating physicians to obtain updated service medical records and supporting documents.
Missing Military Service Records: Staff couldn’t verify that you served your country or the military service-related event that caused your injury.
What we do: We request records through the National Personnel Records Center, locate unit histories, and gather alternative evidence to reconstruct your record.
Inadequate C&P Exam: The Compensation & Pension exam used was rushed, incomplete, or performed by an unqualified examiner.
What we do: Our legal team challenges inaccuracies and requests new testing. We also connect disabled veterans with private examiners. Legal representation carries real weight for veterans’ appeals.
Failure to Attend a Scheduled Exam: The veteran’s claim was denied due to missing a compensation & pension appointment.
What we do: We offer strong legal representation to reverse the VA decision. Our Houston VA disability lawyers file to reopen the initial claim, document the cause, and work for rescheduling without losing the original effective date when possible.
Pre-Existing Condition Disputes: Veterans Affairs argues that the disabled veteran was injured before serving.
What we do: We build a case around the aggravation standard. This means even if you were injured beforehand, they must pay VA disability benefits if serving made it worse in any way. Our Houston veterans disability attorney team secures expert opinions to prove the service-connected disability.
VA benefits aren’t the only thing we fight for. Many disabled veterans also carry private insurance, including life, homeowners, and auto. When insurers wrongfully deny, delay, or underpay, this is a separate issue. Unlike VA appeals, bad faith insurance claims in Houston are handled in civil court under Texas law.
Our law firm assists veterans with both because we know that protecting veterans means fighting back against the federal government and private insurers who believe they can take advantage of those who served this country.
Houston Veteran Resources
The Houston veteran resources and programs include:
VA Houston Regional Office
Houston VA Regional Benefit Office
- 6900 Almeda Road
- 800-827-1000
- 701 N Post Oak Road
- 713-682-2288
VA Hospital Houston / VA Medical Center
Michael E. DeBakey Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center
- 2002 Holcombe Boulevard
- 713-791-1414
Frequently Asked Questions About VA Disability Claims in Houston, TX
Is VA Disability Taxable?
No. VA disability compensation is not subject to taxes. Veterans can receive VA disability benefits tax-free even if they also work or earn other taxable income.
How Often Does VA Update Claim Status in Texas?
The VA claim status page is updated approximately every 3–7 days, but VA.gov updates are only shown when your case moves to a new stage.
How To Increase VA Disability Rating in Harris County?
A veteran’s disability rating can be increased if there’s evidence that service-connected outcomes have worsened. The person must file for an increase with Veterans Affairs in Harris County and attend a C&P appointment.
How Long Does a VA Claim Take in Texas?
VA claims in Texas typically take 4–5 months (approximately 137 days) for initial processing. Complex cases can exceed a year.
Contact a VA Disability Lawyer Houston Veterans and Families Trust
Navigating VA disability claims and appeals processes is often intentionally complicated and time-consuming. Our VA disability lawyers provide skilled legal services for Houston veterans. We’re dedicated to helping veterans secure the VA benefits they’ve earned.
Contact our law office today to schedule a free case evaluation. To take the first step, call 713-622-7271 or use our online contact form.
There is never a fee unless we recover on your behalf.
Additionally, clients are not obligated to pay expenses if a recovery is not made.