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Pascrell Praises VA Decision to Expand Compensation for People with Traumatic Brain Injury

United States Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr. of New Jersey, the co-founder and co-chairman of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force, applauded the Department of Veterans’ Affairs for increasing disability payments for veterans diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The VA estimates that compensation for mTBI victims will increase from about $117 per month to as much as $600 per month. The VA states that these changes will help roughly 3,500 to 5,000 veterans each year.

A recent study estimates that up to 320,000 troops who served in Iraq and Afghanistan have suffered from a traumatic brain injury. “I’m pleased that the VA has finally opened its eyes, and more importantly its wallet, to the thousands of veterans and their families who have silently suffered from traumatic brain injury,” stated Representative Pascrell.  “This decision was a long time coming, but marks significant progress.  Unfortunately, there is still long way to go before I am fully satisfied with the services available to America’s brain injured veterans.”

Representative Pascrell is awaiting a response to his September 19, 2008 request for the Department of Defense Secretary Robert Gates to expand TRICARE to cover cognitive rehabilitation therapy for TBI victims.  The letter was supported by a bipartisan coalition of 67 House of Representatives members.