WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- The U.S. government will for the first time acknowledge that mild traumatic brain injuries sustained by soldiers are a serious problem, an official said.
In changes to benefits rules set to be announced, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is reversing itself and saying such injuries will likely affect the ability of former Iraq war soldiers to make a living and so deserve higher compensation, USA Today reported.
"We're saying it's real," Tom Pamperin, a deputy director for the Veterans Administration told the newspaper.
A study by the Rand Corp. indicated up to 320,000 troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan have suffered traumatic brain injuries, the vast majority of which are mild, caused from exposure to roadside bomb explosions. Most recover, but some soldiers are left with permanent problems, Pamperlin said.
Under the changes, compensation for such injuries would rise from $117 per month to $600 per month, the newspaper said
