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Florida Veterans’ Disability Benefits for Neurological Disorders

Veterans can suffer from a variety of conditions because of their time in the military, including neurological disorders. A neurological disorder affects the brain and can be among the most debilitating conditions veterans can suffer. If left untreated, there is a risk that it will become worse. To learn more about applying for disability benefits in Florida for neurological disorders, contact the Law Offices of Shea A. Fugate, P.A. today.

Key Points:

A neurological disorder affects the brain
It’s one of the most debilitating conditions that veterans could face if left untreated; with no treatment or care there is a high risk that it can get worse over time
Florida veterans can now apply for disability benefits in Florida
An expertly qualified attorney specializing in disability benefits can help veterans with disabilities secure benefits

Florida veterans are experiencing pain and suffering caused by the negligence and misconduct of others or their own service-related injuries. Veterans can get compensation through filing a claim with the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs with support from an experienced attorney.

We will fight on behalf of veterans to receive the compensation they deserve for their service-related injuries.

Our goal is simple: To serve our Florida veterans by providing legal advocacy, representation and counseling in regard to their claims.

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)

A traumatic brain injury refers to significant trauma that occurs to the head. Many cases are the result of a blow to the head or nearby blast for military veterans. Symptoms of a traumatic brain injury will vary, but they can affect your ability to control emotions, think, speak, and walk. In some cases, it might affect your hearing or sight and you may experience long-term problems with an even mild TBI.

Typically, the more severe the damage is, the longer each symptom lasts – from minutes up to years. Brain injuries can affect physical and emotional functioning, so other issues like depression, insomnia, and anxiety can occur, as well as trouble concentrating. These symptoms can lead to employment difficulties over time, if not addressed by therapy or medication. Strict adherence to recommended treatment plans suggested by a doctor is important. Severe changes in personality are also common, and victims may have memory loss such as forgetting words.

The severity of a traumatic brain injury can range from mild to severe. A milder diagnosis is commonly called a concussion. The most reported symptoms that people present with after suffering concussion include headaches, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, nausea, and sleep disturbance.
A concussion is caused by a blow to the head or nearby blast. In some cases, it might affect your hearing or sight, and you may experience long-term problems with an even mild TBI.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating neurological disorder that affects many veterans. When determining whether it’s service-related, the VA reviews when symptoms first started. Most people typically start to show symptoms between 20 and 40 years old. Some potential early-onset symptoms to look for are loss of balance, tingling, weakness in one or more limbs, numbness, and double or blurred vision.
These symptoms are often unpredictable, which makes it difficult for a veteran to plan their life. MS is an autoimmune disease that impacts the central nervous system and spinal cord. This means that the body attacks itself and damages the brain or myelin sheath of the nerves.

Sometimes there can be no specific cause identified even after extensive testing. However, in most cases, doctors can identify certain things that may have caused the MS to start. For instance, a viral infection in the brain or spinal cord might cause demyelination (damaging nerve cells and scarring) and white matter lesions, which are common in MS patients. In other cases, it could be from genetics, exposure to hazardous substances, or an autoimmune disease.

If you have recently been diagnosed with MS you should talk to a doctor about any concerns you may have and the best course of treatment for that particular case.

The VA offers disability benefits to veterans who are suffering from multiple sclerosis. If you are a veteran suffering from symptoms caused by MS, and you are seeking disability benefits, it’s important that you have legal representation in your corner to assist you.

Migraine Headaches

Migraine Headaches are a common ailment among veterans. The headaches can be debilitating and often goes untreated. In fact, many veterans suffer from severe migraines daily without ever knowing it is a symptom of something more serious. You deserve to know the facts about migraines so you can get help if needed.

Here are some basics:

Countless veterans suffer from debilitating migraines. It’s one of the most underrated disabilities veterans can have.
Many veterans are unable to work at all with the severe migraine they get every day.
Migraine headaches rank as 50% disability rating in comparison to other illnesses.
Migraines are a common ailment among veterans, as many as 20% suffer from chronic migraines.
It’s one of the most debilitating conditions that doesn’t get enough attention or respect in comparison to other illnesses causing disability among veterans.

Here is what you need to know about migraines:

The average cost for a migraine is about $13,000 per person per year.
This statistic does not include the cost of treatments or medications, nor doctor visits and other medical expenses.
Most people spend more than $1000 annually on remedies that often don’t work well.
Insurance companies will often deny paying for migraine treatments because they aren’t 100% effective.

The VA offers disability benefits to veterans who are suffering from migraines. If you are a veteran seeking disability benefits for migraines, and you need legal assistance, contact the Law Offices of Shea A. Fugate, P.A. today.

Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy has been linked to Agent Orange and other herbicide exposure, especially for veterans who served during the Vietnam War.

Symptoms related to peripheral neuropathy involve prickling or numbness in the fingers and toes at the onset. Eventually, veterans will suffer severe burning pain or throbbing that worsens in the evening and into the night.

Usually, doctors will suspect peripheral neuropathy as the cause of symptoms when there is no reproducible cause for the pain.

A doctor may consider exposure to Agent Orange when he or she performs a complete physical and neurological exam. If exposure is suspected for Vietnam veterans, then additional testing can be performed. Otherwise, a nerve conduction study may be ordered to test the response of a peripheral nerve to an electrical current.

Peripheral neuropathy symptoms are rarely related to another medical condition and there is typically no treatment for this disorder. The recommended treatment is focused on symptom relief with drugs, especially those that reduce inflammation in the body, such as steroids or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

These medications are usually used only for a short time to reduce symptoms until the pain can be managed through physical therapy or other lifestyle changes.

If peripheral neuropathy is suspected, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible because this condition may also affect organs in the body. For example, if the nerves to the kidneys become affected, then blood pressure may rise or fall out of normal range. If the peripheral neuropathy affects nerves to the heart and lungs, then abnormal heart rhythms may develop leading to sudden death.

Until symptoms are under control, veterans should avoid driving as muscle pain can lead to loss of concentration while driving. Buggy Whip Syndrome is a form of peripheral neuropathy that affects the hands and sometimes feet and may not be noticed until the veteran is having problems with carpal tunnel syndrome in their wrists. Treating one condition may lead to improvement for both conditions.

Contact an Orlando Veterans Disability Lawyer

If you have questions about how to apply for veterans’ disability, please contact us today. We can help answer any of your questions and provide the guidance that you need. Our team is dedicated to helping all military members get the benefits they deserve from their service in the United States Military. Whether it be a physical injury like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or mental illness such as depression, we’re here to help.

Keep in mind that some veterans may not even realize that their disability could be related to their prior military service. If you are suffering from a neurological disorder or have other physical complaints that keep you from working, it’s essential to speak with an Orlando veterans’ disability lawyer. Applying for veterans’ disability can be a complicated process, with the VA denying many claims the first time around. To learn more about the claims process and whether you have a viable class, contact the Law Offices of Shea A. Fugate, P.A., today to schedule an initial consultation.