Many of the brave young men and women of the United States Military have suffered greatly as a result of serving in combat zones in the defense of our Nation. The injuries suffered can sometimes be very disabling both mentally and physically and can effect the veteran's ability to work and/or live any type of a normal life.

Some of the more common areas of injury involve the Brain and Nervous System, the Musculoskeletal System and the skin. It is very understandable to all that being injured by an explosive device can cause trauma of almost any sort to any part of the body. The internal organs can also be injured by direct trauma as they can be injured by air pressure and extreme heat. Chronic Post-Traumatic Brain Disease secondary to injuries to the brain itself can have wide spread and long lasting effects on numerous parts of the body given that it is the brain that controls all parts of the body. The psychological effects of war have historically been much over looked even though they can be absolutely terrorizing. Below, I offer some simple tips on recognizing and dealing with such psychological problems or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and for making any type of claim.

No matter how physically tough or well trained our warriors are they are, at the end of the day, simply Human. Combat forces a young individual often times to face physical and emotional pain never before experienced. And to some degree the warrior is encouraged to hold things in mentally to simply get through. Some of the horrors of war cannot truly be conveyed by the news or written accounts no matter how much they try. Our warriors are forced to cope with such things as dismemberment, pain beyond anything previously experienced, loss of close friends and comrades as well as the visual horrors of war. There is also the philosophical and religious struggles which must be resolved when taking life. Our Nation takes whatever measures necessary to care of the veterans in the combat zone. No other Country can and does do what America does to get its people out when injured and then quickly get them to a state of the art medical facility. The U.S. is a marvel at this.

Once back home there are steps that can be taken to help those with lingering emotional problems. Suggestions are to avoid the following; do not put the veteran in a situation where he feels or actually is locked in physically. This tends to cause flashbacks to similar situations in combat so always have two ways in or out for the veteran in structures, avoid putting the veteran in situations where there is an authority figure which again causes flashbacks. To do this it is helpful for the veteran to face to face with people who do not act or dress for power. Avoid exposure to pictures, images and paintings which may also refer to combat or to the Military in general. Be there for the veteran as needed as emotional problems can come on instantly and be devastating if not addressed early. Human contact in the form of a best friend to talk to and be with is usually the best medicine but obviously professional ongoing help is wise.

Finally, for situations where service has caused a true disability, mental or physical, contact the Veteran's Administration as well as an attorney who works in the field of Veteran's Claims to consider making a formal claim to the U.S. Veteran's Court for compensation. We at MedWitness, Ltd. provide medical experts to review and support such claims in a written medical report where appropriate. The claims must be prepared a certain way such that if they are the veteran stands a much higher chance of recovering. The claim must clearly identify the injury(s), the date of occurrence with proof from the Branch of Service that it was In-Service, proof that it is continuing, proof of how it effects the veteran and evidence that a doctor has certified it. Many claims are rejected for failure to properly set forth any one of the above issues. In those circumstances where the veteran cannot pay for such medical assistance we at MedWitness, Ltd. will provide it at no cost. We all have to remember how they fought for us so that we can now fight for them.