| Each year the number of U.S. veterans
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| | symptoms of mild TBI.
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| increases as soldiers returning from
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| | * No treatments currently exist to cure
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| America's most recent wars come home.
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| | long-lasting symptoms of TBI.
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| However, as the survivors are welcomed
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| | Flawed Brain Injury Technology
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| home after pursuing a dutiful career
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| | Unfortunately, as budgets are cut, the
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| serving their country, a new generation
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| | quality of care and technology also
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| of men and women suffering from mild- to
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| | decreases. Most recently the Government
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| severe-traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are
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| | Accountability Office (GAO) reviewed nine
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| greeted with battled medical budgets and
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| | Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers and
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| flawed TBI technologies, which don't
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| | found that the TBI-screening test's
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| provide the necessary services and
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| | validity and reliability may be flawed.
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| treatments required to improve their
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| | Additionally, the report found that
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| newly developed disabilities.
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| | soldiers with TBI may be receiving
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| With an average of 1.4 million Americans
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| | inadequate or unnecessary care for their
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| undergoing some form of TBI, the number
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| | brain injuries, according to an
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| of scientists and researchers striving to
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| | Associated Press article from January
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| cure these individuals should be ever
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| | 2008. The report found that:
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| increasing, however, dwindling budgets
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| | * Although the VA has implemented TBI
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| continue to compress and squeeze
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| | screening tools, the validity and
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| war-related brain injury funding. In
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| | reliability of the tool has not yet been
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| 2006, the U.S. House and Senate slashed
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| | established.
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| the allocated funding for the Defense and
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| | * The VA has implemented a protocol to
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| Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC) in
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| | ensure soldiers testing positive for TBI
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| half from the previous year.
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| | are adequately treated; however, many of
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| Traumatic brain injury has been deemed
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| | the VA's medical facilities either did
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| the "signature" injury of the Iraq war,
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| | not follow the protocol or had difficulty
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| according to military doctors and
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| | doing so.
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| experts. It is imperative for struggling
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| | * Culturally, the VA has found that Iraq
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| soldiers to find assistance with their
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| | veterans feel the VA and its facilities
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| TBI-related disability.
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| | cater to elderly veterans and do not want
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| What is TBI?
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| | to treat young veterans.
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| Traumatic brain injury is defined as an
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| | * The VA is struggling with poor rural
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| injury that occurs after an abrupt trauma
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| | access to medical centers as well as poor
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| causes damage to the brain, according to
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| | turnout rates for injured vets who in
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| the National Institute of Neurological
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| | some cases must drive 100 miles plus to
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| Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). War-related
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| | reach a nearby VA hospital.
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| TBI can occur in many ways and
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| | Living With TBI
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| individuals suffering from this and
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| | Veterans who are currently living with
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| related side effects will find symptoms
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| | TBI will find that not only does TBI
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| vary on a case-by-case diagnosis.
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| | affect them, but the ripple effect among
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| Researchers and scientists are, however,
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| | an injured veteran's family and friends
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| finding several repetitive conditions and
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| | is quite extensive. There are an array of
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| symptoms among TBI victims. The common
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| | clinical trials that a TBI victim can
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| signs and symptoms of these war-related
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| | become involved in to improve the living
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| conditions are as followed, according to
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| | conditions as well as to treat the
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| a studies published in the medical
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| | symptoms of TBI. Some of these clinical
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| journals of Neuropsychology and Brain
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| | trials can be found through the following
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| Injury:
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| | organizations Web sites:
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| * cognitive issues *decreased attention
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| | * National Institute of Neurological
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| span, including focused, selective and
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| | Disorders and Stroke - Brain Resources
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| sustained attention problems *language
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| | and Information Network (BRAIN)
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| difficulties
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| | * Acoustic Neuroma Association Brain
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| * lack of motivation *inability to
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| | Trauma Foundation
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| efficiently process information
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| | * Brain Injury Association of America
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| * irritability *depression and anxiety
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| | Family Caregiver Alliance/National Center
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| * increased fatigue *headaches *memory
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| | on Caregiving National Rehabilitation
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| loss or disturbance
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| | Information Center (NARIC)
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| * behavioral issues
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| | * National Stroke Association
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| * disrupted sleep
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| | * National Institute on Disability and
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| * post traumatic stress disorder
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| | Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)
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| In May 2006, the co-founder of the DVBIC
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| | Finding Brain Injury Assistance
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| testified to a Senate subcommittee that
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| | There are several organizations available
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| while "body armor may save troops caught
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| | to offer assistance specifically to those
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| in blasts it leaves many with brain
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| | with war-related ailments. The following
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| damage," according to a USA Today news
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| | are several of the leading organizations
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| report. Additionally, the article cited
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| | hospitals:
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| several disturbing statistics on the
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| | * Walter Reed Army Medical Center Defense
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| state of TBI and war veterans.
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| | and Veterans Brain Injury Center
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| * 10 percent of all troops in Iraq suffer
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| | * Defense Center of Excellence for
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| from concussions during combat. * 20
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| | Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain
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| percent of all frontline infantry troops
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| | Injury
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| suffer from concussions during combat.
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| | * National Intrepid Center of Excellence
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| *Scientists believe the Pentagon must
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| | Deployment Health Clinical Center
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| screen all troops returning from Iraq.
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| | *Center for Study of Traumatic Stress
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| *The Pentagon has declined screenings for
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| | Center for Deployment Psychology
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| all returning troops and only screen a
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| | * The Department of Defense (DoD) also
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| small population of soldiers.
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| | offers a search component through their
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| *If left untreated or untested, multiple
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| | Web site to assist veterans in finding a
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| head injuries and concussions can cause
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| | veteran hospital in their geographic
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| permanent brain injury.
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| | area.
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| Also, several equally disturbing
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| | Additionally, individuals enduring the
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| statistics have been reported from
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| | pain of a war-related brain injury are
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| several specialized journals including
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| | encouraged to locate an experienced
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| Brain Injury, Internal Medicine, Soldiers
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| | traumatic brain injury lawyer who can
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| Magazine, MIT's Technology Review and
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| | provide assistance with developing a
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| Perspectives in Psychiatric Care. These
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| | brain injury lawsuit. Because of the
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| statistics area as follow:
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| | nature of these injuries, there should be
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| *Nearly 25 percent of all military
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| | no reason why monetary compensation is
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| veterans of the Iraq war are diagnosed
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| | not rewarded to an injured party.
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| with a mental illness.
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| | TBI medical bills can be extremely
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| * War-related TBI patients often manifest
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| | expensive, and this potential for awarded
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| distinct personality changes.
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| | compensation can provide relief from the
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| * Of the 35,000 soldiers screened for
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| | stress associated with medical expenses.
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| TBI, approximately 11 percent have had
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