When you signed up to serve in the military, you knew there were certain risks involved. You probably assumed that any injuries you experienced would be physical, not mental. However, there are many veterans who struggle with unseen emotional and mental scars as a result of their military service.
If you are dealing with mental issues as a result of something you experienced while serving in the military, you may find your condition keeps you from working. Even if your military career is over, you may not be able to hold gainful employment due to a mental disability. If this is your situation, you may be hopeless and unsure of what to do next, but you could be eligible for disability benefits through the Social Security Administration.
What is keeping you from working?
Some people struggling with mental health issues may find they are able to live and work relatively normally. They may be able to hold a job, provide for their family and do other things, but every case is different. Your mental illness may be severe to the point where you are not able to function in a traditional work environment.
Mental health disorders are not always the result of a physical injury. Post-traumatic stress disorder and depression are often the result of seeing traumatic things, experiencing combat or serving in a high-stress environment for a long period of time.
The mental effect of a physical injury
There are veterans who experienced a severe injury to the head, causing a traumatic brain injury. While most of these heal over time, they have the potential to permanently impact the victim. If you experienced a TBI while serving in the military, it can leave you with issues that include mood swings, memory problems, depression and much more. Often, a TBI is an injury that has physical, emotional and mental effects.
What can you do now?
If you are unable to work because of a mental disorder or the long-term effects of a TBI, you may qualify for disability benefits through the Social Security Administration. You do not have to deal with the impact of your injury alone, but you may find significant benefit in turning to the support and guidance of an attorney experienced in helping disabled veterans.
You may bear emotional and mental scars of your military service, but there are legal options available by which you can secure financial support for you and your Missouri family.
