The Observation Deck

US Senator Sherrod Brown with Michael Fairman.

SEN. BROWN TO ANNOUNCE PLAN THAT WOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR VETERANS with war-related injuries to claim benefits

Brown Worked With Ohio Combat Veteran to Establish the Significant Event Tracker (SET) Act of 2014, Which Would Make it Easier for Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) and Traumatic Brian Injury File Claims for Benefits


Sherrod listens to Michael talk about his experiences.

With nearly 300,000 American veterans struggling with Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) and another 25,000 veterans facing mild Traumatic Brain Injuries (mTBI), U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), a senior member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, will outline a new plan to help active duty service members better track potential exposures during deployment that could be later connected to mental health injuries and mild TBI during deployments. Without proper documentation or a visible, physical injury, it is often difficult for veterans to establish a connection between injuries and military service. This lack of documentation can lead to improper medical care and increases in the disability claims backlog.


Terry Stone, the Executive Director of the Lorain County Veteran Service Commission, and Dr. Edgardo Padin-Rivera, the Chief of Psychological Services for the Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center


Currently, veterans who file compensation and disability claims, or seek medical care, must provide the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with evidence that connects their claim to previous military service. In cases and conditions such as PTS and mTBI, veterans must provide either a written testimony from other service members who witnessed the accident, provide relevant medical documentation that supports the claim, or possess military orders that prove the veteran was in a unit or location that supports the claim. These types of documentation however provide only a secondary account of the claim and may not fully illustrate the veteran’s claim of service connected PTS and mild TBI.

The Significant Event Tracker (SET) Act draws upon insights from Michael Fairman, an Ohio combat veteran whose experiences in the military helped establish the legislation. The SET Act would allow service members to self-report exposure to traumatic events to an online Significant Event Track (SET). By creating an individualized SET, injuries that are not currently documented through physical injuries, awards, or other service related means will now be added to that individual’s medical history.



At the Cuyahoga Veterans Service Commission Post #150, Brown will be joined by Fairman, who has struggled with PTS himself; Dr. Edgardo Padin-Rivera, the Chief of Psychological Services for the Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center; and Terry Stone, the Executive Director of the Lorain County Veteran Service Commission.



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