What happens when the VA provides negligent medical care?

SGT Tj West — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 10:08:39 -0400

The Veterans Health Administration is the largest integrated health care system in the United States. In any organization that large mistakes are going to happen from time to time. Veterans need to be aware of what to do when those issues arise. I explain the options available in a post on PADRM's newsfeed, available here: http://www.padrm.com/news/medical-negligence-by-the-va/

VA Medical Negligence, News, PADRM

Travis West explains options for Veterans who have been mistreated by the VA

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Sep 30 at 2015 10:18 AM

SCPO David Lockwood — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 10:18:55 -0400

You file the claims and this will take forever or get lost in the paper shuffle. Ultimately with 0 compensation. My opinion.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2015 11:43 AM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 11:43:43 -0400

The Department of HHS, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, et al, have been collecting data on and reporting for several decades the tragic, unnecessary, and avoidable deaths of as many as 300,000 to 400,000 Americans EVERY year in public hospitals from coast to coast due to gross incompetence and negligence on the part of doctors, nurses, and staff. Those figures did not include VA medical centers. I point this out for several reasons: the VA figures are relatively minuscule by comparison. Secondly, the country is rabidly enraged over gun-related deaths, whether by criminal intent or accidental design. And, yet, gun-related deaths average in the range of 15,000 a year. Drunk driving deaths are higher, deaths from falls at home are higher, murders from blunt objects are five times higher. Still, no one is picking on public hospitals or the medical profession for killing ten to twenty times more people annually.

Response by PO3 John Jeter made Oct 2 at 2015 12:41 AM

PO3 John Jeter — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 00:41:41 -0400

It seems more like the issue is that the VA is negligent in providing healthcare rather than providing bad healthcare. I disagree with the characterization of "mistakes are going happen" when we hear of incident after incident of Veterans dying because their name was on a list shuffled into hiding somewhere or just flat out erased.

Response by A1C Donald Propp made Jun 20 at 2019 3:24 PM

A1C Donald Propp — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 15:24:34 -0400

I wish I had known that 30 years ago when my VA surgeons told me they removed 2 ½ feet of small bowel, but had actually removed more like 14 feet. I'd gotten an upgrade to 60% disability rating. If I'd known the truth I would have challenged it and probably gotten 100%. (I did get 100% P&T after my next surgery in which I discovered the truth, 15 years later).

Response by PFC Randy Hulse made Dec 13 at 2022 12:03 AM

PFC Randy Hulse — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 00:03:45 -0500

The VA basically butchered the back of my head in a botched nerve ablation and now I suffer with unimaginable issues as a result. They felt an increase to permanent and total disability is justification, but it does nothing for helping me feel better. I cant even get them to find out what can be done to fix it or to treat symptoms. They screw up bad then just dont care!