Chicago's governor has a message for veterans, which also should be heeded by people who've been involved in car accidents (even minor ones) or who have suffered blows to the head or taken a bad fall.Governor Rod R. Blagojevich urged the state's Veterans to get screened for a possible traumatic brain injury (TBI) through the new Illinois Warrior Assistance Program.
The Illinois Warrior Assistance Program is a first-in-the-nation program that screens all returning Illinois National Guard members for a TBI. Screening also is available to all Illinois vets.
Each year, about 1.4 million people in the U.S. suffer a traumatic brain injury. An estimated 80,000 to 90,000 people have permanent disabilities as a result.
Traumatic brain injuries may not be apparent at first, and many people go undiagnosed and untreated, which can cause further cognitive impairment and brain damage.
