Veterans
Veterans served our country. We make sure they get every benefit they’ve earned in return.
Are you a veteran who needs legal help?
Who we serve
Veterans have served our country with courage and sacrifice. Many return home carrying injuries, illnesses, or trauma from their service, and they deserve the full support and benefits they were promised.
What we help with
- We help Veterans reverse unfair benefit denials and get the disability ratings, benefits, and discharge upgrades they have earned.
- We gather the evidence needed to prove service-connected conditions, including those caused by toxic exposure or military sexual trauma, and represent veterans through every stage of appeal.
- We help Veterans stay housed.
$2.7M
Veterans’ benefits secured for 1,599 veterans in 2025
NJP argued that my melanoma and partial blindness were connected to my military service – all those hours of UV exposure in the cockpit… . Thanks to their advocacy, I received a 50% disability rating. That rating meant I could receive both my military retirement and Veteran’s disability pay, instead of having to choose between them. Without NJP’s expertise, I doubt I would have received either benefit.
Alan, NJP client
Where you’ll find us
Our Veterans Unit provides legal assistance on housing and Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits to veterans in King County. This program receives funding from the King County Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy.
Veterans outside King County may be able to receive assistance through one of NJP’s 19 field offices, depending on the legal issue and available resources. We also work closely with county Veterans service offices and community organizations to help connect Veterans with legal information, self-help resources, and other available support.
Luci’s Story
Stopping an eviction and landlord fraud
After experiencing sexual assault and retaliation while serving in the Marine Corps, a young veteran struggled to get the VA to recognize the harm she suffered. With NJP’s help, she secured an 80% disability rating and more than $40,000 in back pay. Debt-free for the first time, she went back to school with plans to become a lawyer herself.
Case Studies
Supporting Veterans
Alan: An Army Veteran’s battle for recognition and benefits
The U.S. government’s 2022 PACT Act expanded Veterans Administration (VA) benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances, including Agent Orange. Five new locations were added to the list of locations where the VA presumes Veterans were exposed to the toxic chemical, including a military base in Thailand during the Vietnam War.
The PACT Act opened the door to benefits for many veterans who had been denied for years, but a new law doesn’t help anyone who can’t navigate the VA system. NJP’s Veterans Team helps veterans prove their service and claim the benefits the law guarantees.
For Alan, an Army Veteran, the law arrived after years of denied claims because the military refused to recognize his service or even his service station at a base in Thailand. NJP attorneys spent more than three years documenting his service and proving his exposure. The passage of the PACT offered another opportunity for appeal. At the end of a long legal battle, Alan succeeded in increasing his disability rating from 50% to 90%.
Recent News & Stories
Our staff attorneys and partners are constantly fighting to keep families housed and protect low-income renters and home owners.
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More than 80,000 veterans in Washington state live below 200% of the poverty line. They need and deserve access to no-cost legal representation and advice. Physical and mental health harms suffered during service must be recognized and treated. Housing secured. Full benefits paid. Too often, they are not. The results can be tragic. Northwest Justice…
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