Illinois is trying to take the characteristic injury of the Iraq war, traumatic brain injury, head on, as it launched a new program designed to give special assistance to veterans who have suffered the injury or have symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This comes after a recent study which suggests that the memory loss, irritability, difficulty sleeping, and other problems suggests that these are related to the psychological, rather than the physical injury suffered during war. The study also showed that soldiers who lost consciousness were most likely to suffer PTSD, about 44% of soliders who lost consciousness during time at the front suffered PTSD, as compared to 16 % of soldiers who never lost consciousness.
The US Army estimates that as many as 20% of soldiers sustain traumatic brain injury during their deployment.
The Illinois Warriors Assistance Program offers a PTSD help line and free phone screening for traumatic brain injury for all Illinois veterans. It also mandates that all returning Illinois National Guard soldiers returning from overseas undergo brain injury screening.
The army studies and the state acknowledgement that these people need assistance does much to validate the severity of even mild traumatic brain injuries, which many insurance companies try to diminish. If you have suffered a brain injury in Chicago as a result of an auto accident or other cause, you need an experienced Chicago brain injury lawyer. Don’t suffer in silence, please contact The Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C. today for a free consultation.
