Results of a class action lawsuit may be good news for many veterans with disability qualifying conditions.
A class-action lawsuit filed by the National Veterans Legal Services Program has been settled, according to Medical News Today. The suit claimed that thousands of ex-servicemen and women discharged due to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) between 2003 and 2008 did not get benefits they were entitled to.
Medical News said as a result of the settlement, the United States military will pay disability benefits for life to 1,029 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with PTSD who were discharged and denied benefits. The military will also increase the PTSD for an additional 1,066 benefits, who could be in line for thousands of dollars of back pay.
It was a big week for veterans suffering from PTSD, as a study by Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System in West Haven shows the drug Risperdal, administered for PTSD treatment, caused side effects such as weight gain and sleeplessness, according to Reuters Health. About 20 percent of VA, or 87,000 veterans diagnosed with PTSD, took the drug in 2009, according to WebMD.
