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Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

VA claims help in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area

About 268,209 veterans live in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Metro Area (Census 2023 ACS 1-year, table B21001). This page lists free government help first, then VA facilities, then everyone VA lists as accredited nearby.

Sources: Census ACS summary file; counties per the Census 2023 metro delineation (Cook County, IL; DuPage County, IL; Grundy County, IL; McHenry County, IL; Will County, IL; DeKalb County, IL; Kane County, IL; Kendall County, IL; Lake County, IL; Jasper County, IN; Lake County, IN; Newton County, IN; Porter County, IN).

Free help: county and state veterans service offices

Government veterans service offices help veterans file VA claims at no cost.

Illinois Department of Veteran's Affairs - Elk Grove Township

stateElk Grove Township, 600 Landmeier Road, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007, Elk Grove Village, IL · Cook

Tuesday - Thursday 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM **Call for Appointment**

Call 224 265-6112

Source: Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA), retrieved 2026-11-09

Illinois Dept of Veterans' Affairs - Cook County - DesPlaines

stateGENCenter (DesPlaines), 52 E Northwest Hwy, Des Plaines, IL 60016, Des Plaines, IL · Cook

Tuesday – Wednesday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM ** Call for Appointment **

Call 847-294-4664

Source: Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA), retrieved 2026-11-09

Illinois Dept of Veterans' Affairs - Cook County -Palatine Township " Appointments Only"

statePalatine Township, 721 S. Quentin Rd., Suite 102, Palatine, IL 60067, Palatine, IL · Cook

Mondays and Tuesdays 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Remote Wednesdays) "Appointments Only"

Call 847-485-2772

Source: Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA), retrieved 2026-11-09

Porter County Veteran Service Office

countyAdministrative Building, 155 Indiana, Room 103, Valparaiso, IN 46383-5513, Valparaiso, IN · Porter County

Satellite Office; James Pendergrass; james.a.pendergrass@portercountyin.gov; Porter County North County Complex; 3560 Willowcreek Dr. Room 150; Portage, IN 46368; Monday - Friday; 8:30 AM -4:30 PM

Call (219) 465-3499

Source: Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs, retrieved 2026-11-09

VA regional benefit office in Illinois

Chicago VA Regional Benefit Office
2122 W. Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60612

VA regional benefit office in Indiana

Indianapolis VA Regional Benefit Office
575 N Pennsylvania St, Indianapolis, IN 46204

VA processes many claims nationally, so your claim may be handled by a different office.

VA benefits line: 800-827-1000

VA medical centers in this area

Vet Centers in this area

Vet Centers offer counseling for eligible veterans and families.

Facility source: VA facilities data (api.va.gov), checked November 14, 2026. Community clinics aren't listed.

Accredited representatives near Chicago

Your search stays in your browser. claim.vet only counts how many searches happen in each state each day, with no search text and no IP address.

Who can help, and when

Filing an initial claim

County and state veterans service offices and accredited VSO representatives help for free. Accredited attorneys and claims agents generally may not charge for help with an initial claim.

After VA decides your claim

VSO representatives and government offices still help for free. Accredited attorneys and claims agents may charge once VA has decided your initial claim and has received a fee agreement signed by you and the representative (38 CFR 14.636; VA FAQs).

Board of Veterans' Appeals

Accredited VSO representatives, attorneys and claims agents can represent you at the Board. The same fee rules under 38 CFR 14.636 apply to attorneys and claims agents.

Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims

The Court sets its own rules for who may practice before it (Court rules). Fee agreements for Court work are governed by 38 U.S.C. 7263, and if the veteran wins, the attorney may be able to recover fees from the government under the Equal Access to Justice Act (28 U.S.C. 2412).

How fees work

An accredited attorney or claims agent may charge you only for work done after VA has decided your initial claim, and only under a written fee agreement signed by both of you and filed with VA. VA rules on accredited representatives' fees are in 38 CFR 14.636 (fees up to 20% of past-due benefits are presumed reasonable; fees over 33⅓% are presumed unreasonable). VSO representatives and government veterans service offices don't charge for help with VA benefit claims.

Sources: 38 CFR 14.636; VA accredited representative FAQs.

Before you choose anyone: Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representatives and government veterans service offices help for free. Accredited attorneys and claims agents generally may not charge for help with an initial claim, and may charge only after VA's initial decision on the claim, under 38 CFR 14.636.

claim.vet doesn't endorse anyone listed here and isn't paid by anyone listed here. Every representative listing comes from VA's Office of General Counsel. Always confirm accreditation on VA's official accreditation search.

Is this listing wrong?

claim.vet shows information exactly as VA publishes it, and we can't change it. Representatives can update their information with VA's Office of General Counsel at ogcaccreditationmailbox@va.gov. Changes appear here after our next update from VA's list.