What We Do

On this page, you will be able to find out about the variety of cases that we can take on for our clients. Since our firm was first established in 1983, our long-term commitment to providing a quality service for all of our clients has been the very foundation of what our firm is built upon.

VA Disability Compensation

We help veterans to secure all VA service-connected disability compensation to which the law entitles them. Our experience and expertise spans all eras of military service, kinds of disability, and compensation entitlements–including to back pay that has gone unpaid for years.

VA Survivor Entitlements

Congress has promised to care not only for service-connected disabled veterans but also for their loved ones. We help veterans’ survivors secure those entitlements: monthly  dependency and indemnity compensation (“DIC”); benefits that had accrued or vested for the veteran, yet were unpaid, at the veteran’s passing; and to prosecute claims and appeals that remained pending at the veteran’s passing.

VA Caregiver Benefits

Many seriously injured veterans receive care at home. Congress has promised to honor and support those veteran-family caregiver teams by providing them with VA resources, training, and a stipend. We help veteran-caregiver teams to secure those benefits.

Legal Reform

We often take VA to court. When we do, we strive to win the appeal not only for our client but, when possible, for all veterans and their loved ones suffering the same legal wrong. We also represent and co-counsel with other veterans’ advocates to seek pro-veteran legal reform.

Laura Chapman

Laura A. Chapman is an Associate Attorney at Carpenter Chartered. She represents veterans, their survivors and dependents before the Department of Veterans Affairs. Laura is admitted to practice law in the State of Illinois as well as before the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Laura graduated in 2022 from DePaul University College of Law, where she received her J.D. and a certificate in Public Interest law. At DePaul Laura was a member of the Appellate Moot Court team, a recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Public Service, and a Dean’s Scholarship awardee. She also graduated with a B.A. in Telecommunication Media Studies from Texas A&M University in 2015.

Laura worked for a legal aid non-profit providing representation to veterans in the areas of VA disability benefits, military discharge upgrades, and Social Security disability before joining Carpenter Chartered. Laura currently practices remotely from Chicago, Illinois.