Legal news for social responsibility attorneys. Caregivers are often left without help from the military for taking care of wounded veterans.
Hundreds of unpaid caregivers to our country’s injured military men are not being aided by military benefits.
West Palm Beach, FL—As the war wages on, there are bombs are being dropped, roadside bombs exploding, and people being killed, but that is just the beginning of the traumatic experience many veterans are facing, as they are left with debilitating physical injuries and emotional damages. After the dust has settled and the injured and brave military men arrive home, it has become the job of family, spouses, and loved ones to take care of our countries service men with often little to no help from the government, as reported by USA Today.
Thousands of unpaid caregivers are taking care of physically wounded and mentally wounded veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan everyday. The problem is many of the caregivers have given up their jobs, lives, and savings to treat the injured. The caregivers are going without military benefits from our country to help pay for care, thus leaving many people relying on donations and handouts. The range of injuries range from gashes and fractures, to comas, amputations, burns, paralysis, nerve damage, and traumatic brain injuries that are often so severe that the veterans cognitive functions are at a toddler’s level or below. The United States Defense Department’s most updated count of Afghanistan and Iraq war-related traumatic brain injuries (TBI) is currently at 161,025. A non-profit research company RAND, estimated the figure of TBI’s to be around 320,000 out of the 1.64 million deployed by that time in 2008. The non-profit National Military Family Association estimated that about 350 to 400 such patients are so severely injured that they require full-time care for the rest of their lives.
Currently there are two bills under debate within the House and Senate, which would give caregivers financial support, including health insurance. The U.S. Defense Department is planning to release a “caregiver’s curriculum” this spring, which will be a guide for caregivers and medical staff on treating wounded veterans and their families. Others claim that the government programs are doing nothing for the physical and health needs of our brave veterans. A huge problem is the government is not letting caregivers know about any of the military’s medical resources, causing them to turn to non-profit groups and relying on themselves for assistance.
Legal News Reporter: Nicole Howley-Legal news for social responsibility lawyers.