During their time in the military, service members face a number of dangers, many of which have the potential to result in significant injury. When a head injury occurs, it can result in traumatic brain injury, or TBI. Over a 20-year period, the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center reported that 414,000 individuals suffered brain injuries. Even when the military does not commit an act of negligence that leads to those injuries, the injured service member has the right to VA benefits for the long-term losses resulting from TBI.
Traumatic brain injuries can result from a number of devastating events, many of which have a greater risk of occurring when in the Armed Forces. Talk to our physical condition claim attorneys about how the cause of a TBI can affect your VA claim.
Many service members drive as a regular part of their job requirements, whether they need to transport goods or manage a military escort. Those vehicles can end up crashing in severe accidents. Not only can a blow to the head from a vehicle accident result in brain injury, some service members suffer brain injury due to the abrupt back and forth movement of the brain against the skull.
Another prominent cause of brain injuries for Veterans are a strike to the head. Blows to the head can occur during many scenarios over the course of military service, including accidental trauma from workplace accidents on military bases and more serious blows caused in combat situations. When something hits the head, the brain can suffer both direct trauma from the blow and further trauma from the brain striking against the other side of the skull.
Service members have a higher chance of encountering explosives over the course of their regular job duties than individuals in most other professions. They may face direct or indirect exposure to a bomb or other explosive device. Even when wearing proper safety equipment, including helmets, service members with direct exposure to an explosive can face severe head trauma.
Even minor falls can cause significant head trauma when the head hits the floor or another surface. Service members often face a fall risk in the everyday course of their job, whether on a search and rescue mission or conducting routine maintenance that requires a ladder or being someplace high off the ground. Even when proper occupational safety precautions are used, service members can fall from heights unexpectedly. Furthermore, service members can slip and fall during the regular course of their job duties. If they strike their head on the way down or as they land, they can face TBI symptoms.
When a service member suffers a traumatic brain injury, he or she can end up facing long-term symptoms that can prove life-altering. Those symptoms can include:
These challenges can make it difficult for Veterans to manage daily tasks, and in some cases, may require ongoing care as a direct result of traumatic brain injury. In addition, they may have high ongoing medical costs related to the care for traumatic brain injury, including the cost of occupational therapy, adaptive devices, or home nursing care.
When you need to file a benefit claim through the VA for TBI, having a lawyer on your side will make it easier to properly connect the condition to your service. Contact Fight4Vets for a free consultation to learn more about how to fight a VA claim denial and get approved for what you are owed.
