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Posts Tagged ‘post-traumatic stress disorder’
Thursday, June 14th, 2012
Researchers in Boston recently found evidence that soldiers exposed to a serious bomb blast have an increased risk for degenerative brain disease later on as they make the transition to veteran life. Now, researchers from the University of Rochester in New York are taking that information a step further and are looking at how even a light head injury, such as a mild concussion, could predispose soldiers to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to Stars and Stripes.
Brain scans of 52 combat veterans were analyzed to search for the type of neuronal damage that results from a concussion. Those veterans with more severe damage also had more disabling cases of PTSD. When the nature of their head injuries was discussed, even the veterans with minor head injuries and no visible concussion or mental impairments had a higher risk of PTSD.
These new findings are prompting mental health professionals and neurologists to develop better evaluation and treatment methods for use in the field. The lab tests used to discover the neuron damage is impractical for combat zone use, meaning doctors will need to focus on developing simpler diagnostic tools to help decrease the time a soldier waits before proper head injury treatment.
Many recent veterans’ disability claims have involved disability ratings for mental impairments caused by head trauma. The degree of severity of mental disorders, such as PTSD, is the key to obtaining the full veterans’ disability benefit pay you are entitled to.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veteran’s disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: head injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, Veterans disability
Posted in Veterans' Disability | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 8th, 2012
What’s in a name? In the case of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), many military psychiatrists believe the title given to this disabling condition plays a role in how those who suffer from PTSD and society as a whole view the affliction.
The diagnosis of PTSD has been a staple of veterans’ disability claims for many years and has gone by several names including shell shock, soldier’s heart, and battle fatigue. Now psychiatrists are seeking to change the “D” of PTSD for “disorder” to “I” for “injury.”
The reasoning behind the change is mainly a social one – “disorder” has more of a stigma attached to it when compared to “injury”. Psychiatrists believe that the name change to PTSI will help disabled soldiers and veterans become more comfortable with their diagnosis, as “injury” implies that treatment and recovery are possible, while “disorder” implies that there’s something permanently wrong.
For veterans seeking disability benefits, this name change could have some impact on how claim decisions are made in the future. Some legislators are worried that the use of the term “injury” could change the opinion on how this mental illness impacts veterans long-term. If disability claim decisions imply that an injury will eventually heal after treatment, they may be reluctant to grant long-term or permanent veterans’ disability benefits.
As of now, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hasn’t issued any statements regarding the pending name change or how it may effect claim decisions.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veteran’s disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: post-traumatic stress disorder, veterans disability claim
Posted in General, US Military Legislation, VA News, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Disability | No Comments »
Thursday, April 26th, 2012
After hundreds of soldiers and veterans had their diagnoses for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) wrongfully reversed, the U.S. Army has reevaluated their diagnosis and rating system.
The improper conduct at the Madigan Army Medical Center caused army officials to evaluate the current practices in place to diagnose and evaluate soldiers and veterans who suffered the symptoms of PTSD. A new policy was recently issued that addresses some of the poor practices used at Madigan in hopes that future decisions will be more accurate and fair.
One of the focuses of correcting the diagnosis problem was discontinuing the use of tests to determine if a soldier or veteran was faking PTSD symptoms. The new policy downplays this “phenomenon” and gives a more broad guidance to how Army medical staff evaluates patients. Use of the standard medications to treat PTSD has also been criticized in the new policy, which may lead to more alternative methods to being used.
The Army is promoting a more direct, personal analysis of symptoms by their treating physicians so that a better treatment program can be developed. Veterans who suffer from PTSD may quality for veterans’ disability benefits, which can help them obtain more comprehensive care through the VA health care networks.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veteran’s disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: post-traumatic stress disorder, Veterans disability
Posted in Disabled Veterans, General, US Military Legislation, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Disability | No Comments »
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011
According to an article in Off The Base, many veterans find comfort in speaking to other veterans with disabilities or mental health conditions, which is why The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) created a campaign known as “Make the Connection”.
Veterans who support and help one another through the most difficult times in their lives can be a powerful experience. By the VA implementing the “Make the Connection” program on its own webpage, veterans can privately find help and a sense of therapeutic treatment.
The webpage is designed to help veterans of every generation and service. Vietnam veterans can find the exact type of help as can veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The help that can be found ranges from struggling with an identity as a newly disabled veteran to transitioning back into the civilian world following a deployment.
The information on the site is designed to help family members and loved ones as much as it is designed to help veterans, clinicians, and active-duty soldiers. Through different techniques, the site is designed to help veterans find help for themselves, and locate resources from which they can ask for the needed help.
Furthermore, the site also offers services ranging from testimonials of other soldiers and how they learned to cope with varying issues to self-assessment tools for substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veterans disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: Make The Connection, mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder, Veterans disability
Posted in General, Iraq-Afghanistan War, VA News, Veterans' Disability, Veterans' Resources, Vietnam veterans | No Comments »
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was sued for wrongfully causing the death of an Iraq War veteran. According to an article on KWTX.com, a settlement offer has been accepted in the case, but the details to that settlement haven’t been disclosed.
The suit was originally filed by Randy and Judy Pilgrim against the VA medical center in Waco following the death of their son, Lance, in August 2007. They were seeking over $75,000 in damages.
Lance Pilgrim was a veteran suffereing from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). According to his parents, Lance’s PTSD was caused by his military service during his tour of duty in Iraq. He sought treatment at the Waco VA medical center for:
- drug addition;
- severe depression; and
- suicidal tendencies.
According to the lawsuit, medical personnel at the Waco VA were well aware of Lance’s problems, and were told to not perscribe hydrocodone to him. On August 14, 2007, Lance was prescribed hydrocodone and then released from VA care 2 days later. On August 18, 2007 Lance died from an overdose of hydrocodone and methadone.
The suit claimed Lance died because of the VA’s “failure to hire adequate staff and train existing staff.” The VA staff not only gave Lance a prescription for hydrocodone, but released him from his PTSD care program prior to ensuring he was properly stabilized.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veterans disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: Iraq war veteran, post-traumatic stress disorder, VA Negligence, Veterans disability, Wrongful Death
Posted in General, Iraq-Afghanistan War, Veterans' Disability | No Comments »
Thursday, October 20th, 2011
According to an article in Necn.com, a widow, of a veteran who served in Iraq, is suing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for failing to provide adequate treatment for her beloved veterans’ disability before he committed suicide in 2008. This isn’t the first time the VA has been sued for a veteran’s suicide either.
In this case, the veteran started seeking VA help for his PTSD symptoms after being honorably discharged. A counselor sent a letter to the VA confirming the veterans’ diagnosis of PTSD, which was supported by the veterans’ symptoms, which included:
- depression;
- stress;
- insomnia; and
- irritability.
The veterans applications for benefits stemming from his service-related PTSD were denied 3 times, according to the lawsuit. His local VA hospital sent him off with medications for depression and insomnia, neither of which he “tolerated well.” Despite telling VA doctors of his suicidal thoughts, he wasn’t determined to be a suicide risk.
Finally, he was referred to a VA medical center in Johnson City. Doctors there noted his “continuing problems with depression, anxiety, and anger.” The VA denied his benefits claim again in 2008 and stated he supplied no “objective evidence” with which to “verify his stressors.”
Following his suicide, the VA overturned its position and found he did indeed suffer from service-related PTSD, which would’ve qualified him for benefits.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veterans disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.
Tags: Department of Veterans Affairs, post-traumatic stress disorder, Veterans disability
Posted in General, VA News, Veterans' Disability | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 20th, 2011
The Homeless Emergency Project (HEP) is a non-profit homeless outreach group based out of Clearwater, Florida. The HEP is adding a new building on to their already established facility, which will focus on serving solely veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The $3.5 million facility will cover 3 acres, 2,500 square feet, and house 32 one-bedroom units. The Brendan MacDonald Fyfe Foundation is contributing approximately $800,000 toward the construction of the facility, which should open in Spring 2012.
The new facility will boast many unique features. The technology room will allow veterans the opportunity to stay in touch with family members or search for employment. Additionally, an activity director will be employed who will create programming focused on bringing veterans together with each other.
This new addition is only step 1 in an overall 5-year plan to expand the campus to cover 8 acres and host an additional 112 units. Every bit of the new facility will be dedicated to helping veterans with PTSD. In addition to veterans, the HEP helps their families and their children. In addition to emergency housing, the HEP offers transitional and permanent housing.
The HEP’s work helps the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) complete their mission. Offering case management, food, medical, dental, and job assistance helps veterans help themselves.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Homeless Emergency Project, post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, Veterans disability, Veterans Mental Health
Posted in Disabled Veterans, Veterans' Disability, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Monday, November 8th, 2010
One reason post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is so hard to treat is because it is so hard to diagnose. Currently, there is no set diagnosis on the books, so doctors look for a combination of specific symptoms and treat then treat patients for PTSD. A new breakthrough, however, may have taken all the guess work out of diagnosing PTSD. The Minneapolis Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center and the University of Minnesota conducted a study that may have linked mis-communications between the areas of the brains having to do with memory with positive PTSD diagnoses.
There were 80 veterans in the study. The conclusion that a person’s brain with PTSD undergoes a physiological change must have come as a relief to those veterans blaming themselves for their disorder. PTSD usually manifests itself in:
- Flashbacks;
- Nightmares;
- Hostility or anger; or
- Hyper-vigilance.
The study used a scanner to measure magnetic patterns in the subject’s brains. Researchers then interpreted brain activity in PTSD patients against brain activity in non-PTSD patients. They found a disconnect between the right side of the brain and the rest of the brain in PTSD patients-even when they’re not experiencing flashbacks or thoughts about the traumatic event(s) causing their PTSD.
The haunting memories that often accompany PTSD can pop up at any time, according to the study. The flashbacks are caused by involuntary interactions in the brain as opposed to an external trigger. This explains why PTSD sufferers say the memories never fade even if they have discovered how to exist day-to-day.
The right side of the brain is associated with memory, and in PTSD patients exhibits hyperactivity, even when at rest. This finding serves to reduce a huge amount of stigma associated with PTSD. Should these findings hold, PTSD sufferers no longer have to worry about being labeled with having an emotional problem.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Disabled Veterans, post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD study, Veterans disability, Veterans Mental Health
Posted in Disabled Veterans | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 20th, 2010
The National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has a new headquarters in White River Junction, Vermont. Giving the center a new building shows just how much understanding and treating PTSD has become a highly important issue. The headquarters building is the center of a research and education system focusing on PTSD and spanning the entire Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
US Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt), who is a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt), a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, both applaud the quality of the work the National Center for PTSD provides. Leahy has regularly voted for money to be given to the Center to help them in their research.
About 1 of 5 returning soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from PTSD and/or major depression. It is imperative that the U.S. do as much as possible to help treat veterans returning from war suffering from mental health problems incurred because of their duty to this country.
Senator Sanders had a direct hand in raising the necessary funds for the Center’s new building. Senator Leahy has worked to have millions of dollars directed towards the Center. He is working this year to continue to focus the VA’s attention on giving the Center what they need to continue producing their excellent research and therefore help veterans suffering from PTSD.
The Center has a simple mission: to provide research and thereby education about PTSD. The VA established the Center to serve this sole purpose and consists of 7 different research facilities across the nation. With the new headquarters, it is hoped the Center will become even more effective than it is currently.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), National Center for PTSD Research, post-traumatic stress disorder, VA Health Care System
Posted in General, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Monday, October 4th, 2010
Female soldiers played a much larger role in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars than was likely reported. More female soldiers mean more female veterans. More female veterans mean the Department of Veterans affairs (VA) has to expand their services to be able to provide for their unique needs.
The VA currently funds 500 community homeless shelters. Of those 500, there are only 7 providing family accommodations. This is critical because the number of female veterans using VA services doubled between 2004 and 2010. It is expected to double again by 2015. The VA is scrambling to find the resources to train their employees to properly handle female veterans. The VA is just now beginning to understand the resources and services they are going to need to provide for those female veterans who have seen combat.
Of all the women seeking VA treatment, 22% of them have suffered some sort of sexual trauma. Many female veterans feel unsafe in what they perceive as a male-dominated VA medical centers. While approximately 1 out of every 10 soldiers returning from Iraq suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), female veterans are 9 times more likely to suffer PTSD than male veterans.
The Women’s Prevention, Outreach, and Education Center (WPOEC) is in Menlo Park, California. The WPOEC’s staff is almost all women and therefore provides a unique recovery situation where women can seek treatment while bonding with other women. The Women’s Trauma Recovery Program (WTRP) is geared toward helping women recover in a supportive environment. Combined with the local VA hospital, these two programs form the VA’s only Center of Excellence for Women’s Health.
Female veterans have earned the right to receive benefits just as every other veteran. The VA must rise to the occasion to being able to provide the specialized and unique care they deserve.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: female veterans, post-traumatic stress disorder, Sexual trauma, VA Health Care System, Women's VA health center
Posted in VA News, Veterans' Benefits, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
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