Many veterans and their widow(er)s are 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.

Many veterans and their families are unaware of these benefits.  They include programs under which a veteran or widow(er) can received greater Pension benefits in order to obtain Housebound Assistance or Aid and Attendance benefits which are designed to assist claimants who are frail, elderly, disabled, or otherwise unable to complete some of the tasks of daily living.  Other benefits available include memorial and burial services, death pensions, and veterans health care.

When our office meets with a new client, particularly for estate planning or qualification for MassHealth/Medicaid, we first ascertain whether or not any of these VA benefits are available.  We will then assist our veteran clients and their surviving spouses to obtain the benefits to which they are entitled.

Because the rules for VA benefits and Medicaid/MassHealth eligibility often conflict, however, it is critical to ensure that qualification for a VA benefit today does not disqualify the client from future Medicaid/MassHealth eligibility.

While many Veteran Services Organizations assist veterans in the filling out of applications for VA benefits, they are not qualified to give veterans legal advice regarding eligibility for Medicaid assistance.  Because our office focuses on elder law, we are uniquely qualified to give this advice.

Attorney Dolmat-Connell is accredited by the federal Department of Veterans Affairs to represent veterans seeking claims and benefits before the agency.  Under a recent federal law, only attorneys who receive this accreditation from the VA and who agree to participate in regular continuing education classes can represent veterans before the VA.

Carrie also has a special commitment to those who serve our country.  In 2005, after learning about the death of Princeton resident Captain Christopher Sullivan in Baghdad, she organized a benefit concert for his family that encompassed hundreds of musicians and many more volunteers from 40 different communities throughout Central Massachusetts, the North Shore, and Rhode Island.