VA Compensation for

Post-traumatic stress

 disorder - PTSD 

Signs and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder typically begin within three months of a traumatic event. In a small number of cases, though, PTSD symptoms may not occur until years after the event.

Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms are commonly grouped into three types: intrusive memories, avoidance and numbing, and increased anxiety or emotional arousal (hyperarousal).

Symptoms of intrusive memories may include:

• Flashbacks, or reliving the traumatic event for minutes or even days at a time
• Upsetting dreams about the traumatic event

Get the help you need! PTSD claims are not a do-it-yourself endeavor. It is important that your claim be prepared as well as possible. If improperly prepared or documented, your claim is likely to fail. Depending on why it failed, your claim may damage your ability to successfully appeal a bad decision or to win approval in a subsequent claim. A claim that has been filed incorrectly is as useless to you and your family as a claim that was never filed.

If you have PTSD, your disability may make it unlikely that you can weather the frustration of dealing with the VA and objectively respond to its requests for information. A claim that has been abandoned by a frustrated veteran is as useless to him and his family as a claim that was never filed.

The various veterans service organizations (VSO) provide free claims assistance. Try to find a person to help you who is familiar with PTSD and has handled successful claims for compensation for PTSD.

Click here for a list of:

Defense & Veterans Brain Injury Center

The Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC) mission is to serve active duty military, their beneficiaries, and veterans with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) through use of state-of-the-ay, VA and civilian health partners, local communities, families and individuals with TBI.

In 2008, DVBIC's mission expanded to include Force Health Protection and Management. This encompasses the following Department of Defense (DoD) programs:

* TBI Surveillance
* TBI Registry
* Pre-deployment neurocognitive testing
* Family Caregiver Curriculum
* 15 year longitudinal study of TBI
* Independent study of automated neurocognitive tests

DVBIC has been named the Office of Responsibility or Executive Agency for these programs.

DVBIC's multi-center network design and collaborations with forward medical commands allows for clinical innovation along the entire continuum of care: from initial injury in the war zone through to medical evacuation, acute care, rehabilitation and ultimately a return to community, family, and work or continued duty when possible.

Please visit http://www.dvbic.org  or visit

www.braintrauma.org

 Source: www.dvbic.org