Schizophrenia is a mental health condition that impacts about 24 million people worldwide. Although it is not as common as other conditions like anxiety and depression, it can still manifest with painful and unpleasant symptoms, such as: It is not unusual for schizophrenia to begin developing within a person during their late teens and early…
It has been over 30 years since the first Gulf War, a conflict that saw approximately 700,000 U.S. troops deployed. While the operation was considered a success, some veterans brought home physical and mental injuries with them. If you are a veteran who has struggled with a condition inflicted on you by your time overseas…
Not all of the dangers veterans encountered during their time in service were found on the battlefield or even at their station. In recent years, the pervasive and longstanding problem of sexual abuse and harassment in the military has come to light. The RAND Corporation, for example, suggested that as many as 20,500 service members…
As a veteran, you are able to receive medical care and treatment from VA medical facilities and hospitals. As dedicated as many of these professionals and staff are to their work, they are still human and, therefore, still capable of making errors. Unfortunately, when these errors and lapses of judgment happen, you are the one…
Military service can affect individuals in unique and multiple ways. For example, suppose that you served as an infantryman in Afghanistan and saw combat. Your experience on the battlefield may have left you with numerous conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), hearing loss, and back pain. Another soldier may have lost an arm or leg…
You have applied for VA disability benefits in Ohio or elsewhere and have just received your award letter in the mail. Contained within that award letter is an explanation of the VA’s decision, including the disability rating it has assigned to your claim. The higher this disability rating is, the more benefits the VA believes…
Military service is dangerous. Even non-combatant specialties can face dangers such as the risk of concussions, hearing loss, mental distress, and other physical and mental issues. In the vast majority of cases, these are simply a natural consequence of military service. For instance, despite the use of hearing protection when using firearms or explosives, military…
A physical injury you sustain while serving your country can differ in several ways from a mental health condition you develop during your time in service. Nonetheless, the two types of injuries share at least something in common: a compensation and pension (C&P) exam. When required, completing a C&P exam is an essential step to…
When your VA disability benefits claim is finally approved, your award will consist of both ongoing monthly disability benefits and retroactive benefits. Retroactive benefits are benefits received for the period beginning on the effective date of your claim up through the date your claim is approved and you begin receiving your monthly benefit. The reason…
VA disability benefits are intended to assist injured veterans with addressing their costs of living when they are not able to fully work. But as the past few years have clearly demonstrated, the cost for everyday goods and services tends to go up rather than go down. If VA disability benefits did not take this…