Legal Services

Service-Connected Disabilities and Disability Compensation

VLI assists with determining and adjusting appropriate levels of support for any disabilities stemming from military service. Too often we find clients might not understand they’re entitled to healthcare coverage and compensations for all service-connected disabilities, not only those from combat injuries.

Veterans who have disabilities, medical conditions, or injuries incurred or aggravated during active military service—no matter when or where they served—may be eligible to receive tax-free monthly benefits. Our goal is to provide access to just compensation for specific areas, or lifetime disability.

Pension

The application process for pensions can prove to be a real challenge for anyone, especially for those who face conditions stemming from service to our country. VLI helps clients navigate the process of applying for pensions in order to receive the full amount to which they’re entitled based on the following conditions:

• Aged 65 or older, or
• Access to limited or no income, or
• Permanently or totally disabled, or
• A patient in nursing home receiving skilled care, or
• Receiving Social Security disability insurance, or
• Receiving supplemental security income.

We also help with the assessment of needs-based countable days, which must fall below a yearly limit, with 90 days of active duty including one day during wartime. If clients were on active duty after Sept. 7 1980, they must have served at least 24 months or the full period for which they were called up, with some exceptions.

Aid and Attendance, and Housebound Care

Benefits are also available to address situations where individuals find themselves unable to leave their homes unsupported, or require resources for the attendance of another person. VLI helps clients with the application process in order to receive appropriate payments in addition to their pensions, provided they qualify for pensions.

Other Benefits

VLI also is here to provide general information on other benefits that a veteran, widow, or surviving dependent may be able to receive, including such benefits as the VA Home Loan, Educational Benefits, and Veteran Burials.

VLI helps clients overcome the stigma and limited access to benefits that often come when discharges are classified as less than honorable. These types of discharges can add to the emotional trauma our clients unfortunately face too often, and may also limit the scope and amount of benefits the veteran is eligible to receive. VLI will assist the veteran prepare a petition packet and supporting evidence to submit to a board, and can stand before review boards on behalf of clients, providing a deeper understanding of aggravating circumstances. In most cases, veterans who attend a hearing with an attorney are five times more likely to prevail than if they just submit a written application on their own.

The goal is to secure discharge upgrades after reviewing entities further understand related complications. These can include trauma or mental illness stemming from multiple tours, sexual assaults that too often remain unaddressed in combat situations, and any pre-existing conditions that might have impacted discharges. With a just discharge upgrade, clients may gain peace of mind and unfettered access to the lives that are the right every American to fully and confidently enjoy.

With an appropriate expungement or dismissal, VLI helps clients enjoy a record that accurately reflects their dedicated service. A record free from unnecessary blemishes lets our clients know the feeling of pride they so richly deserve, and removes any obstacles to the full range of benefits to which they’re entitled.

After determining eligibility, VLI can help veterans to seal and destroy arrest records, reduce felony convictions to misdemeanors, request expungement of criminal convictions, petition to terminate probation early, submit for a certificate of rehabilitation, which if granted, will be forwarded to the Governor’s Office for consideration of a pardon, or apply directly for a Governor’s Pardon.

One of the biggest issues that our veterans face is finding adequate housing, and many times once they do find housing, issues arise with the landlord relating to habitability, ability to pay rent, reasonable accommodation requests, or return of the security deposit after vacating a property. VLI meets with veterans to discuss their landlord-tenant law related issues and helps to come up with the best course of action for the veteran, whether that be connecting them with organizations to find new housing, writing demand letters to the landlord, or enforcing their rights as a tenant under the lease.

Should a veteran be facing eviction, VLI will assist with responding to the unlawful detainer suit, can work with opposing counsel or the landlord to mediate the situation so the tenant does not have to relocate, and may go to court with the veteran if the case is not able to be resolved prior to the hearing.

VLI is pleased to be able to offer family law legal assistance to veterans in the areas of divorce, child custody and support, spousal support, and adoption. We have attorneys on staff that can assist with advice, document preparation, and may provide limited court representation, as well as pro bono attorneys in our network that will take on full representation of clients.

VLI prepares basic wills, trusts, advanced health care directives, and powers of attorney for low income Veterans interested in estate planning. While often difficult, proper end of life planning is critical to the emotional health of our clients as well as the stability of their families.  The demand for estate planning, specifically among Vietnam and Korea era veterans is a great unmet need in Southern California that the VLI seeks to address through direct in house services, legal clinics, and its pro bono attorney network.

VLI also assists veterans and family members with completing forms for guardianships and conservatorships. We have veteran clients that have sought guardianships to legally provide and care for a family member’s child, and family members seeking a conservatorship over an aging veteran so that they can ensure they are physically and financially secure. VLI wants to support these families and help them provide for each other by giving them our assistance in navigating the court system.

Many times veterans fall behind on financial obligations due to injuries or illnesses relating to their time in service, or general inability to find work after leaving the service. VLI will work with the veteran to assess their debts and obligations, and determine whether filing for bankruptcy is right for them. We can assist them with paperwork for filing, and may even be able to place their case with a pro bono attorney to walk them through the process and assist them in court.

For veterans who are looking to incorporate new non-profit organizations and apply for tax exemption, as well as those who start small businesses, the VLI can assist in navigating the complex legal and government path to help ensure the veteran operated organization is on sound footing

Outside of our office, VLI offers a number of outreach clinics that may be located closer to you! We are regularly hosted by the Long Beach Veterans Administration Hospital, the North County Veterans Center, the Orange County Veteran’s Service Office, the Starbucks on 4^th and Broadway in Santa Ana, Saddleback College, and City of Mission Viejo. If one of these locations are more convenient for the veteran, they can call to find out our next day and get instructions on making an appointment.

We also regularly host a Family Law Clinic, VA Benefits Clinic, and Women Veteran’s Clinic on specified days in our office. For an appointment to meet with an attorney or advocate during one of these clinics, please call the office and we will get you signed up.

The areas you see listed above are our major practice areas, but we provide assistance with immigration, small claims, limited civil litigation, social security appeals, and so much more. If you aren’t sure whether we can help, fill out our application, give us a description of what your situation is, and one of our advocates will give you a call to discuss your case and how we can be of service.