The Veterans Affairs Department plans to add a new list of illnesses related to traumatic brain injury that will qualify veterans for disability benefits.
The VA said that if a veteran has service connected TBI and also has these illnesses, then they will be considered service connected: Parkinsonism; dementias (which VA understands to include dementia of the Alzheimer type and post-traumatic dementia); depression (which also was associated with mild TBI); and diseases of hormone deficiency that may result from changes in the pituitary gland.
The VA will publish a new rule to cover this change in the Federal Register next Monday. This will not help the claims backlog.
Bob Brewin
Bob Brewin joined Government Executive in April 2007, bringing with him more than 20 years of experience as a journalist focusing on defense issues and technology. Bob covers the world of defense and information technology for Nextgov, and is the author of the “What’s Brewin” blog.
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