Illinois is home to approximately 480,000 Veterans, men and women who volunteered to serve our nation and decided to make Illinois their home.
If you are an Illinois Veteran dealing with a denied VA claim, an inadequate rating, or a condition connected to your service, you have legal options, and you don’t have to navigate them alone.
Call 866-951-0466 or contact us online today. There is no out-of-pocket cost for the Veterans we represent.
Illinois Veterans: Your Service, Your Installations, Your Exposure History
Illinois is home to three major military installations: Naval Station Great Lakes, Scott Air Force Base, and Rock Island Arsenal.
- Naval Station Great Lakes (North Chicago) is the Navy’s only boot camp, training over 40,000 recruits annually. The base has documented PFAS contamination from decades of Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) use in firefighting training. Sailors exposed to PFAS at Great Lakes may be eligible for VA disability benefits.
- Scott Air Force Base (Belleville) serves as headquarters for U.S. Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command. Scott AFB has documented PFAS contamination from AFFF firefighting foam. Airmen who served there and developed associated conditions may be eligible for VA disability benefits through direct service connection.
- Rock Island Arsenal (Rock Island) is the Army’s only active foundry and a major manufacturing hub. Veterans who worked there have faced documented exposure to asbestos, PFAS, and industrial chemicals over decades of weapons production.
Navigating the Illinois VA Claims Ecosystem
It is important to understand the difference between the two systems that serve Illinois Veterans:
- Federal VA (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs): Administers disability compensation, health care, and federal benefits. This is where your disability rating and monthly payments come from.
- IDVA (Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs): A separate state agency that administers state-level benefits, such as property tax exemptions, scholarships, Veterans’ homes, and state employment preferences.
Put simply, IDVA is your Illinois advocate. The Chicago VARO is the federal office making the disability rating decision.
The Chicago VARO at 2122 West Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60612 processes disability compensation claims for most Illinois Veterans.
Veterans near the Scott AFB area may have claims handled by the St. Louis VARO depending on their county of residence.
What is an IMO and Should I Get One?
An Independent Medical Opinion, or IMO, is a written medical opinion from a private physician, a specialist who examines your records, reviews your history, and provides a detailed, reasoned opinion in your favor. The VA is legally required to consider all competent medical evidence, including private IMOs.
When you file a VA disability claim, the VA schedules a Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam. The C&P examiner reviews your file and completes a Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ). That examiner’s opinion carries enormous weight in the rating decision.
However, C&P exams are often brief, conducted by examiners unfamiliar with your full history, and the resulting opinions can be generic or negative. A negative C&P exam is one of the leading causes of denials and under-ratings in Illinois and nationwide.
Essentially, any time the VA’s own examiner hasn’t made a strong case for service connection, or has made a case against it, a private IMO from a qualified specialist is your most effective next step.
What Happens After a Denial or Low Rating in Illinois?
If your claim has been denied or your rating doesn’t reflect your actual disability, the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) gives you three lanes for appealing.
- Higher-Level Review (HLR): Used when there’s no new evidence and/or you believe the VA made a legal or factual error on the existing evidence.
- Supplemental Claim: Used when you have new and relevant evidence, such as a private IMO or new medical records. If your denial was based on a negative C&P exam and you have since obtained a private IMO, file a Supplemental Claim.
- Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA): Used when you have complex legal issues and/or you want a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge. This comes with longer processing times, but you’ll get a more thorough review.
You generally have one year from your rating decision to choose an appeal lane without losing your effective date, so do not ignore the deadlines.
Maximizing Back Pay and Protecting Your Effective Date
Your effective date, the date from which VA calculates your back pay, is one of the most financially significant elements of a disability claim, as your compensation is generally paid retroactively to your filing date, not your approval date.
This means you should file early, even before you have all your evidence together. This will give you an earlier effective date, and you can continue to build your case after you file.
FAQ: Illinois Veterans’ VA Disability Questions
Does Illinois tax VA disability compensation?
No. Federal VA disability compensation is not subject to Illinois state income tax. Additionally, Illinois Veterans rated at 70% or higher may qualify for a full property tax exemption on their primary residence through the Disabled Veterans’ Standard Homestead Exemption.
Where are C&P exams conducted in Illinois?
C&P exams for Illinois Veterans are typically conducted at VA medical centers including the Jesse Brown VAMC in Chicago, the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital in Hines, the Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago, and the Danville VA Medical Center, as well as through VA contract exam providers at locations throughout the state.
Can I file a VA disability claim if I was exposed to PFAS at Great Lakes or Scott AFB?
Yes. Veterans who were stationed at Naval Station Great Lakes or Scott Air Force Base and developed conditions associated with PFAS exposure may be eligible for VA disability benefits.
What’s the difference between IDVA and the federal VA for disability purposes?
The Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (IDVA) is a state agency that provides state-level benefits and free claims assistance through its Veteran Service Officers. The federal VA is the agency that actually pays disability compensation and manages federal health care.
How Capovilla & Williams Can Help Veterans in Illinois
Illinois Veterans deserve representation that understands what the VA system requires and how to make it work for them. Whether you are dealing with a denied claim, a rating that doesn’t reflect your condition, a toxic exposure history, or a complex appeal, our team is ready to fight for you.
We handle VA disability claims at no out-of-pocket cost to our clients, nationwide. Call 866-951-0466 or reach us through our contact page.
