SHOCKER: Veterans Affairs To Pay $21 Million For Malpractice

Veterans Affairs

Benjamin KrauseThe United States was recently ordered to pay over $21 million to a veteran and his wife for damages from medical malpractice that led to a second stroke Veterans Affairs doctors failed to prevent.  The victim, veteran Michael Farley, was 78 years old and the funds will pay for the remainder of his care until his death.

Farley was seen at the Manchester VA Medical Center in New Hampshire. There, he was seen for symptoms of stroke, and he was given a series of tests. He was later seriously injured form a second stroke that could have been prevented had VA properly treated the first stroke.

VA failed to adhere to the standard of care required to treat the risk of the second stroke. He then suffered a second massive stroke. That stroke caused “locked-in” syndrome that severely limited his voluntary muscle movement.

After a four-day bench trial, the court found Veterans Affairs failed to adhere to standard medical practice. That failure caused a severity amount of harm and VA is now required to pay.

Thank God the court is wising up to VA’s continued medical failures. I used ot think only VA Benefits was guilty of wrongdoing on a mass scale. I now realize VA Health Administration is more guilty than most of harming veterans and failing to hold negligent practitioners accountable.

I am giving this family a fat “hell yeah” for sticking it to VA for harming this veteran and hope all courts across the country are waking up to foolish VA medical practices that harm vets.

What do you think? Do you have a story about VA harming you or a loved one?

SOURCE: Janice Farley vs. United States of America

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47 Comments

  1. So not trying to think the VA New Orleans is not the epitome of Health care to Veterans who are employees that hurt orhers get this story it will flip your mind, but not nearly enough have accessibility to these due to living on the out side of most popular towns, sadly what you do has not been I would love to sue them an apologize that they acknowledged the harm to me.The entire Veterans Affairs Deputies, shameful numbers considering if you just look at OIF alone is more than OEF or OND,,, love the ending comment were catching some of them as though we have stood the watch not the Dog at the door to round up. It is called sucked at made fun of lazy Federal employees who work for the VA as well. In 2012 prior to retiring with 20 years of service and spent 9 1/2 with every OGA, ops there is military wise an was a test pilot for women assigned to Joint Command boots on ground, I deployed with a triple level spinal fusion carrying 80 lbs of gear not including two weapons. Came home with it being promotion to Chief eligible since 1996 and came home to a piece of cover up man and those who think women still have no say tried to completely damage my reputation pride and honor, I took my last tour after fwd deployed Recruiting Officer’s another pilot program and took the last ride literally in the corn field, when they find you have an injury they think you can’t compete funny deployed with Joint Special Forces command as the NCOIC over 700 SOF,OGA. Then finally sent to my last tour ending with the number one urinalysis program in the fleet from the IG in Kingsville Texas as the Assistant Officer in Charge of TW2. Then two more spine surgeries later and still eligible and pass PFA with outstanding. Politics, especially when your ribbons hang 13 down. Once employeed with the Veteran Affairs hospital as a credentials for all Hospital employees. I went to work because you cannot live off of a retirement check after 20 years of service. Once employed half way on my third step in paygrade hiring rate changed to 20 days from 90. Then HR specialist that I get their packages and have there personnel picked from their hiring board with tons on leaning on who gets what position. Then this same idiot that was hired as a hook up not a veteran punches the inside of the tail of my chair an I flee up in the air and landed on the very same metal I deployed to combat with. After pounding onto this he ran laughing, I put him on report for doing this went to ER, an my L5 donor graft is now cut in half splintered inside my back, my legs give way I can no longer walk I have now been rated at 100 percent Combat Veteran with Serious TBI/PTSD And spinal cord injury that now the hospital for VA in new orleans is lying on the CA1 OWCP paperwork amd funny how the HR Chief fails to turn in a statement that Nakia Hooks HR specialist in New orleans VA admitted in front of all Asst HR Chief Inger Alston HR chief in new orleans VA so now OWCP does not want to consider my owcp case because they are falsify OWCP documents to cover up what they have done to a Female Combat Veteran who came home with tons of injuries and the very place she should have been able to seek refuge to support her family and now maimed and unable to walk from unethical office practice and member should be charged with assault. Still fighting my OWCP/VBA combat backpay an have not reported any of this to double dooo nothing but cry and seek therapy which I am now awaiting removal of the bone graft splinter. Did you ever think of how many millions the VA steals from enlisted ever day a member of the enlisted leave active duty it is at the end of the month which they lie amd don’t tell you because you got off of Active duty on the last day of the month guess what ya dumb ass now where keeping a month of your backpay because you lost 30 days on the start if your VA claim wow so hail us enlisted am hiw the government keeps a Veterans first month of VA benefits because of the exit date. If your an officer you get out on the beginning of the month so their backpay their is no one month gap, ooops who made this possible, can you imagine how many months of combat pay DFAS still does not send every month. Then I did my one year review with three ending period so called VA to ensure I met the guideline and called again teo more times just to make sure. Because I have non organic brain functions with dead cells, so I still see government con

  2. I lost my right leg ( above the knee ) in 2011 by None Vascular Surgeon’s. I feel that I should not have lost my leg if a Vascular Surgeon was at the Dorn VA in Columbia SC. What can I do at this time and who can I see and talk too about this?.

    1. Email Dede at this address. they are helping me on a claim. Tell her Ron Garney sent you there. [email protected]
      Dede Aldaco,
      Legal Assistant to
      JEFFREY C. ANDERSON
      9601 McAllister Freeway, #1250
      San Antonio, Texas 78216
      Telephone: 210-340-8880
      Fax No.: 210-340-8885

  3. To bad we have to die to get someone to listen, veterans with ptsd have to kill themselves if they care about their families. That is the only way the veteran can get benefits for their families sad but true.

    1. Unfortunately that is not quite the case.
      VA considers suicide as willful misconduct, unless the survivors can prove the veteran was insane at time of suicide.

      Some of you know I am a FTCAer. VA admitted to causing my husband’s death.
      Somewhere here someone seemed to think they could sue the VA after many many years has passed, after they were aware of potential malpractice.
      The Statute of Limits for FTCA actions is 2 years from date of knowledge of the potential malpractice..

      I won FTCA case at General Counsel level in 1997 and settled with USA….. wrongful death.
      I get DIC under Section 1151 (death by VA) 1998
      Also due to proving my husband had untreated and undiagnosed DMII from AO (direct AO death award 2009)
      Also due to proving my husband had Sectionm 1151 IHD due to AO that caused his death (also malpracticed on) AO Nehmer award, direct Sc death, 2012
      Also DIC due to causing him to have a Section 1151 stroke which contributed to his death. Award 100% P & T plus SMC 1151 CVA 2012)

      Just this Am at http://www.hadit.I posted that if any vet or their family members feels strongly that VA had been negligent in their care, to their detriment, they need an IMO doctor to give the veteran’s medical records a full review.
      That can be costly but regardless of the outcome, they will have Peace of mind.
      Either a good IMO doc will find no evidence of malpractice ( and that is always good news ) or they might find plenty of it and with the full medical rationale they could provide, in an IMO -independent medical opinion- they could support either a FTCA case or Sec 1151 claim, and better yet, the veteran might get far better care from VA or go elsewhere for that.

      Unless they are already dead.

    2. I think we have a horrible system for all people who need help, the rich get rich the poor die. My husband would be here today if he was rich and not a veteran who believed what the VA told him..I wish there was something we could do before we loose any more veterans unnecessarily but it i going to take an act of congress to get our vets and their families the help they deserve. Just my opinion after watching the VA in Manchester, NH do nothing to help my husband, a vietnam vet die. I had to call 911 and get him to a non VA hospital who told me he had 2 weeks to live. The VA told him to go home and stop being a baby. They told him he only had arthritis.He suffered until I got him to the non VA hospital and was told he had 2 weeks to live. Thank God they helped him die without anymore suffering that the VA was ignoring for 4 years. I watched him suffer and still have nightmares because of what they did and did not do to help him. I would recommend any veteran go to another hospital if they do not feel right and don’t take the pills the VA gives you. They are trying to kill our beloved Veterans…

      1. Mam, I am truly sorry about your husband and I also wish congress would do something about the VA!

        I wrote a letter to the president, telling him about the plight of veterans that have PTSD and in order for the veterans family to obtain any benefits, they must kill themselves for the family to even file for benefits!

        Here’s the response I got!

        NONE!

        Maybe some day this will happen, May have to wait until Christ returns and sends all those that are harming their fellow human beings into that hole called hell!

        They won’t be able to lye to him!

        May your husband rest in peace in heaven!

        God’s wiser!

      2. Thank you James, I know we loose so many good men and women everyday because of the crap care they give at the VA. For every Veteran they kill they/Congress can give themselves a raise. They will meet their maker someday and I hope they all get what they deserve. I love my country but hate the selfish people who run it.I think you should have to be a Veteran to run for any office. in the USA. That ought to be a new stipulation. It might help, can’t hurt, at least then this country might be run by someone who knows what it is like to fight for our freedom. Not just spend money!!

  4. I think this is a good thing that happened to the VA..Glad this soldier got what he deserves, but wish he did not have to suffer so much to get it..To bad that I have been subjected to a 47 year battle with the VA just because so long ago a VA employee lied, making my life miserable as well as everybody elses…And with 3 BVA decisions and CUE in my favor and 100% disabled Vet, they are still screwing around with this claim..Nothin will ever change no matter how much it costs the VA….

  5. On March 1, 2015, I had a serious heart attack and my life was saved at a local hospital. I currently still have an 80% blockage in my LAD that has needed immediate intervention. The VA in Lecanto and Gainesville Florida has delayed treatment for 2 months and still has not treated me properly. I may very well die if I have another heart attack. The VA has also refused to allow me to get treatment at the local hospital that saved my life on March 1st, under the new Veterans Choice Program. The VA hospital is a 110 mile round trip for consults and the local hospital and the cardiac surgeon that saved my life is only 5 minutes away. Neither my primary care doctor or anyone else in the VA has made any contact with the cardiologist that did the procedure after my heart attack to consult on my condition or recommendations for treatment. Do I have to die first before I can sue the VA for malpractice. I truly fear for my life, even if the VA suddenly decides to treat me. Chuck

    1. You might want to write a concise note to your primary care provider informing him/her about PERSONAL LIABILITY as well as reporting him/her to the state licensing board for professional misconduct.

      If you live more than 40 miles from the nearest VA facility, then your PCP is obligated to help you obtain non-VA treatment at the VA’s expense.

  6. I am based in London, England, i was amazed my husband left home to corner girl, i found out he was not longer interested in anything i do, i contacted Dr Lawrence who cast a spell that made my husband realize his mistake and come back to me at the time and period appointed by Dr Lawrence i appreciate your Good work keep it up contact him today [email protected]

  7. It is pathetic that the real horror stories dealing with treatment, the reckless disregard for human life is only displayed in sites like Mr. Krause.
    Only of recent mainstream media is dealing with the appointment delay scandal and a one or two minute blurb on television and print.
    The high damages numbers are there to quantify a class-action certification for mass litigation.
    It is one unifying thread running through:
    Delay the claim
    Deny, Delay or Mistreat the veteran patient.
    One goal- Wait for the veteran to die.

  8. What exactly do you mean by realizing that “the VA is more guilty than most” of harming vets through improper medical care? Are you saying the VA injures patients at a higher rate than do non-VA healthcare facilities? What is the basis of your conclusion? If the VA is injuring patients at a higher rate, then tell us the source of that information.

    1. Stanman47
      I worked as a Radiologic Technologist at VAMC in Florida in the late 80’s.
      Anybody who has ever had a iodine contrast dye injected should remember if they were allergic. Serious stuff, if so have to inject non-iodinated contrast, more cost.
      I had a elderly, severely compromised patient with high risk factors. Protocol/Policy stated use of non-iodinated only.
      But non-iodinated not available( actually stashed).
      Consulted Chief Resident, ordered to inject. I said we could be sued for malpractice.
      VA Physician’s response, ” we are on Federal Grounds, we cannot be sued.
      I disobeyed, did not inject, was suspended, another tech injected.
      Later, the non-iodinated contrast, cases were discovered in another area of Radiology and was being sold to Private hospital across the street.
      There will never be an EXACT number how VA IS MORE GUILTY.
      Also, being a patient for multiple morbid conditions, to me, the best source is myself. Medical charts are documented in most illegal ways possible to attribute deaths while admitted.
      I was even ordered to wheel a patient in a stretcher back to the nursing home who probably died while waiting for his chest cray.
      Many patients are in such states that could not even tell the difference. I was told to put him back in his bed and just leave. This way Radiology would be in the clear. Make it look like he died in the nursing home. Haunts me to this day but I was a young graduate.

      Even told by Chief to sign a stack of papers which I ” did not get to read”
      Veterans are treated like second class citizens not worthy of receiving proper medical care by some workers, ( only some). If note deficiencies even respectfully get labelled as troublemakers and/or crazy

  9. Glad i read the stories today..i have what they call tart claims forms from FT Milley VA hospitat in San Francisco being filled from a malpractice dating back to 1997 and the hospital had HIDDEN the dr reports and i just discovered them 6 months ago through the FOIA after trying to get them since 2009.the info have caused me to have CHF..you would not believe all the hell i am going through and how the records have been altered and how these doctors try to cover up for each other..i am suing for 12 million and after 45 years of waiting i am finally having a BVA travel board hearing next month on one of my claims..can you believe it!!! 45 years

  10. Locked in syndrome is a form of existence you hope doesn’t happen to you. While your body cannot function on any level, your mind is completely normal. There is no ability to communicate except by blinking.

    Should you be interested in reading a first hand account — through a book dictated letter by letter through blinking from a locked in victim, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a good book.

  11. Well, if these law suits are actually paid out by the VA, one would think this also sets some form of ‘legal precedent’ and perhaps that’s where they VA will finally see they need to ‘step their game of proficiency up’ in order to only save their bonus $$ from going to pay outs from lawsuits…that’s what a narcissistic organization does like the VA…and by ‘stepping up their game’ the VA will just try to curtail services or something in the completely stepping backwards kind of way.
    I am now convinced that the VA is still a ‘dept. of war liabilities’, hence just a huge insurance company, like a Lloyds of London is to shipping industry, the VA is the mediator of the gov’t. in “handling liabilities…we Veterans”.
    Are we just a deductible that’s easier to abuse and misdiagnose, hope to die and long denies?
    I think we deserve much better. I have written on here before about the unmistakable medical errors that happened to me. Working on a book slowly about it all as a form of therapy but I think it needs to be told. Gross negligence or purposeful maligned intent? Now, THAT’s the real question. Blue pill or Red pill Neo?

    1. I really believe the VA wants our Veterans dead so they do not have to pay monthly benefits..It is probably all a scam and if they can have our veterans dead instead of paying them a monthly check for disability this gives them a reason to give them misdiagnosis, the quicker they kill our vets the more money in the pockets of someone, certainly not our vets or their families…I know how much money the VA has saved by killing my husband, Lawrence Lodato..no other doctor outside the VA would have ignored weight loss of over 50 pounds in months, fevers of over 104 every other week…they would have done something, a real doctor would have.BUT.the VA benefits everytime they kill one of our vets by not getting them the treatment they need…This is what they did to my husband by ignoring his cancer and his aortic aneurysm they knew Lawrence would die fast and never told him he had anything but arthritis…he went to the Manchester, NH VA every month sometime 4 times a month for 4 years and they always said he was a drug seeker and did not listen to him when he told him about his fevers, his weight loss, which was severe and his pain which was horrible…How they say they did not know when within one hour of being at the Elliot Hospital in Manchester they told me and my husband he had 2 weeks to live and there was nothing to do since the VA did not diagnosis this in time..They kept telling Lawrence to go home and take some advil…he was full of cancer and had a aortic aneurysm ready to blow at anytime..finally after they shot him up with steroids his pain level went through the roof..I had to call 911 and that is how he got to the Elliot and we where told he had 2 weeks to live, this was 3 weeks after his steroid injection and xrays at the Manchester, NH VA..we had been telling his primary care doctor and his pain management doctor that he was losing weight, running high fevers that would go away for over a year…they did nothing…hid the facts from us so Lawrence would not get the care that may have saved his life as he was only 63 and had been healthy until he started getting his VA disability check one year before he died..quite a coincidence that he lives one year after he finally gets his checks..ONe year and then they let him die by not telling him or treating him for any of his pain…I believe the VA is killing our vets to stop them from getting their checks…and they do not have to give them the care they need..so many veterans are at their mercy and these doctors should all be held accountable and loose their license..they should never be allowed to hurt or kill another veteran…this is one grieving wifes opinion but I bet there are a lot of people who feel like me..we have to start a class action lawsuit and make them pay billions to all the veterans and their families who have been hurt or killed by the VA’s negligence….I hope this happens to know one else but I know it is right now..

      1. The only problem with filing a class action lawsuit is the victims receive a very small percentage of the settlement agreement. In a case of settlement of a class action lawsuit for 20 million dollars the victims received only 5 million divided by 8,000 victims but the law firm was to get 15 million in the settlement agreement, thus approved by the court. The judge was an attorney before becoming a judge. The people of the class action was not allowed to be involved in the settlement agreement. They had agreed to allow their attorney’s to represent them.
        Don’t you love lawyers, and you can not file a civil case without an attorney in federal court.

  12. My husband died May 29, 2011. The VA denied him disability for diabetes, back injury (military injury) and Occupational Asthma (multiple exposures during military service including AO, Rainbow, other hazardous chemicals and nuclear waste). Due to his denial, my husband was forced back to work (he had 28 years with Customs/Homeland) and was able to find a place with the Dept of Int., where he spent the next 6 years until he dies. The VA refused to change their diagnosis of Chronic Bronchitis, ignored the Diabetes and Back injury claim; then stated his bronchitis was not military related. Once my husband was working for the DOI, his teams were in DC and Denver and he was responsible for monthly visits to both. Every time he returned from Denver and all winter long in DC, he would end up in the hospital on IV; insulin and steroids. As it was explained to him by his Pulmonologist (outside VA) after treating him for a few months, the ”triggers” for his Occupational Asthma symptoms are cold weather and pollution. The Pulmonologist stated the VA was flat wrong in their diagnosis. And when we confronted the VA with a specialist’s diagnosis, the VA still refused to change their story. There are doctors/researchers out there reporting that insulin and steroids may create a hot bed for cancer. My husband died from a brain tumor that came out of nowhere and within 7 months, was dead.
    I truly believe that if the VA had accepted the Pulmonolgist’s diagnosis and awarded him disability benefits, my husband may still be alive.

    1. The steroids they gave my husband, Lawrence Lodato on April 11, 2014 caused the cancer that the VA missed to spread like wildfire and kill him in 2 weeks..we had no time to say goodbye, I spent evey minute with him until he died at a non VA hospital in Manchester, NH..Since the VA in Manchester, NH was killing him I could not let him go back there..I believe if he had a real health team he would have never been given steroids when he had cancer but the VA in Manchester, NH did not read his x rays properly and said you have arthritis, lets give you a shot of steroid…within a week he could not walk..within a month he was dead, May 12, 2014..they destroyed a beautiful man and my life is over…I wish them all everything they did to my husband 10 times over..I hope they all suffer and no one believes them if they are sick..RIP my love you served your country and they killed you in the end..I am so sorry…I would have done anything to save you but listened to the idiots at the VA …I hope and pray this does not happen to anyone ever again…

      1. MY husband is dead because VA wouldn’t do a colonoscopy. Even though we requested several times between 50 and 60 we were told that peripheral smears were adequate screening for colon cancer. At the end of his 60th year, he began to bleed and finally got the colonoscopy. By then he had a huge colo-rectal tumor that had metastasized to the liver. We had to rely on VA for care because he had no insurance to go to private facility. We were afraid if we tried to sue, he wouldn’t get the cancer care he needed. He outlived the 2 year window for torte claim so there is no compensation to be had. His parents are in frail health and needed their only child for their care, I am widowed young and our children lost their Dad in their early 20s because the VA didn’t want to spring for the cost of a colonoscopy for ten years!!!! This is what how he is repaid for getting drafted to Vietnam and the pain and disability that occurred as a result of the gunshot wound he received there. Meanwhile, we can look at the Purple Heart medal and know exactly how much his service was worth to our government. VA needs to be accountable for all of the mistakes they are making . Our vets deserve the best possible available treatments and medicines. VA has a drug formulary that doesn’t even include the newer, more effective medicines because they are trying to cut costs. Veterans, of all people, should have whatever they need for medical care.

      2. @Debra- Totally with you on the VA’s antiquated pharmacy drug “formulary”…trying to get an off formulary drug approved is as common as rocking horse $hit. We Veterans and Dependents/Survivors should indeed receive *whatever meds* and even cutting edge meds…but I would also admit the cynic in me would immediately think then the VA would simply start catering to Big Pharma and using even more “experimental drugs” or worse…quite a quagmire we find ourselves in for serving our Country for years.

  13. My best friend and brother in arms was sent home to die a little over a year ago by VA in TX. He had Pulmonary Fibrosis and was told his condition needed to decline a little more for him to qualify for a double lung transplant. He had a panel of 5 Doctors at VA, they suspended his medication to accelearte the decline and when he hit the target level, one of the 5 Doctors pushed that he was too old and too ill and he should just go home and make his bucket list. Marvin was 67 years of age,A Marine, Vietnam brother may he find peace.

    1. I would like to see the VA test for cancer…my husband was dead in 2 weeks after finally being seen at a real non va hospital due to the VA in Manchester, NH not believing Lawrence’s Lodato had severe pain and was losing weight very quickly..they kept saying you just have arthritis, stop being a baby..now my husband is dead at age 63 and I am alone..I know my husband had a high threshold of pain and handle a lot of it but to give someone full of cancer advil for cancer and not believe him should be definitely malpractice..all his doctors at the VA in Manchester, NH should die the same horrible death as my husband…I hope they all get theirs someday..they did not believe Lawrence Lodato or me so I had to take him to the Elliot by ambulance as he fell down so many times..The VA did not care…they fought me on everything, did not want to pay his bills..I believe they want our veterans dead so they do not have to pay them the money they deserve from serving our country..I know they knew he had cancer and did not tell him so they could pad their pockets with the money..the doctors at the VA in Manchester, NH are horrible and I wish them all what they deserve, pain and suffering just like they gave to my husband…I have not found a lawyer to take his case, no one cares, they did not loose a person they loved..as long as their life is fine oh well, tough cookies if someone you loved died because the VA did not do their job…SHame on the government for letting our veterans all suffer…I will never forgive any of the doctors at the VA in Manchester NH..they killed Lawrence Lodato last year, he was their last in April 2014 and they said he was fine, just a baby..he died May 12, 2014 after being diagnosed with cancer everywhere and the VA could not find it…They will get theirs..

  14. The Boston VA did a series of tests on my heart and told me that everything was fine. I took the VA report of these tests to a private cardiologist who after reading them told me that the reports were worthless (his exact words) and asked if I could get the actual imaging done at the VA for him to review. I provided him with the imaging and when I saw him two weeks later he told me that not only did I in fact have coronary heart disease, that I also have had a heart attack; now I am a real believer that left to its own devise, the VA would in fact kill me!

  15. Oh, yes, very much poor care at VA for me. I had no medical coverage, except VA, at the time. For two years, I complained of what I later knew were symptoms of diabetes. VA Primary Care Provider blew it off. I was not obtaining copies of VA medical files at that time to make my own notice that, indeed, glucose levels were at what is considered diabetes by the standards. Just as I felt so sick, figured I’d go into debt, but needed to get to an outside VA medical facility for symptoms that were keeping me down, my new medical coverage eligibility arrived in the mail. I arrived at an urgent care facility with numbers so high, the doctor did not understand how I was still cognizant. Urgent care treatment saved my life with doses of insulin, but I was a patient of VA, who missed it and failed to diagnose. I was not aware of FTCA and by the time I learned about it, the time was past for that. I had been walking around with diabetes and did not know it, even as I complained about symptoms to VA provider, even as the VA lab numbers were already there. After the fact, when I obtained copies of my medical file which had been digitalized, there was missing info., including my last visit to VA clinic with my medical complaints, right before my civilian urgent care visit. However, not everything disappeared…the lab results were still there as well as prescription history which showed a medicine that had been prescribed by the VA pcp for complaint of specific symptom. Thankfully, my life was saved, but not before the damage to my body from related issues. Sure, I complained, after the fact, apparently not to the right people, the process unknown to me at the time. Guess what? That doctor still works for VA, probably screwing some other veteran who laid the trust in that VA healthcare, through her, could not possibly be a detriment to their existence.

      1. I confirmed it in 2011 when I obtained copies of my VA medical file. I was diagnosed in 2004 by outside VA provider.

  16. MY HUSBAND DIED MAY 12 2014 AFTER THE SAME VA IN MANCHESTER NH DID NOT KNOW HE HAD CANCER..THEY KEPT TELLING HIM HE HAD ARTHRITIS..TOOK XRAYS AND GAVE HIM A STEROID INJECTION ONE MONTH BEFORE HE DIED..I GOT HIM TO THE ELLIOT HOSPITAL IN MANCHESTER, NH AND THEY SAID HE AS FULL OF CANCER AND HAD 2 WEEKS TO LIVE..THE VA IN MANCHESTER KILLED MY HUSBAND AND TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT..HE WAS LOSING WEIGHT AND GETTING SICKER AND THEY KEPT SAYING HE JUST WANTED DRUGS..HE DID NOT, THEY GAVE HIM ADVIL FOR HIS ARTHRITIS AND AN INJECTION AND IT TOOK A NON VA HOSPITAL TO FIND HIS CANCER OR HE WOULD HAVE CONTINUED IN HORRIBLE PAIN AND DIED AT HOME..THE VA IS REPSONSIBLE FOR LAWRENCE LODATO’S DEATH AND THEY KNOW IT BUT HIDE AND I CAN GET NO LAWYERS TO HELP ME..HE WAS ONLY 63 AND COULD HAVE LIVED FOR MANY MORE YEARS IF THE VA HAD NOT SCREWED UP ALL HIS TEST..THEY DID THE SAME X RAY AT THE ELLIOT THE VA DID APRIL 11 2014 ON APRIL 28 2014 AND THE ELLIOTS XRAY SHOWED NO BONE LEFT IN HIS HIP..IT WAS NOT THERE WHEN THE VA TOOK THE XRAY 4 WEEKS EARLIER,.YES IT WAS..THE MANCHESTER VA IS THE WORSE PLACE TO GO IF YOU ARE REALLY SICK..THEY WILL KILL YOU….I MISS MY HUSBAND, THEY NOT KILLED HIM BUT DESTROYED MY LIFE AND HIS FAMILIES…LAWRENCE WENT TO THE VA 3 TIMES A MONTH FOR 4 YEARS AND THEY DID NOT NOTICE THAT HE WAS FULL OF CANCER..HE WAS LOSING WEIGHT SO FAST AND WAS IN SO MUCH PAIN AND THEY DID NOT BELIEVE HIM..THEY MADE HIM SUFFER FOR MONTHS AND DID NOTHING TO HELP HIM….I HOPE NO ONE ELSE HAS TO GO THROUGH THIS…JUDIE LODATO

  17. I can’t report that the VA has done me any physical harm. Financially, well, that’s a horse of a different color.

    Ben, if you would like to hear my story about an action I’m currently involved with, drop me a line at [email protected]. I guarantee this will curl your toes. This is a totally different situation, but it’s a doozy. I can even email you the pleadings from my case. I think my story needs to be told.

  18. Yeah, I know exactly what is going on. I was diagnosed with osteoporosis in 1991 by an Army doctor and was never told or treated for it. I was also diagnosed with osteoporosis by the VA in 1994, but never told and never treated for it. I got sent to Afghanistan with severe osteoporosis and could have easily shattered a bone. I didn’t find out until I got back from AFG that I even had osteoporosis and was at a -,4 which is pretty bad. The Army didn’t include it in my MEB and the VA tells me it’s not service-connected and it’s not in my records. Well it is service-connected. I spent so much time out in the field, about 4 years out of 11 years, and I didn’t get the food choices to keep my bones strong and I didn’t have a choice in what I ate. I either ate it or I went hungry. In 2010, I leaned over to pick up medical records of my civilian doctors to take to the VA and had a compression fracture of my L-5 vertebra. When I went to my orthopedic surgeon, I asked him why it happened. He said because you have severe osteoporosis. He told me I could have sneezed and broken a vertebra. He said I had the good kind of fractured vertebra. I said the good kind? He said yes, it could have severed you spinal cord or killed you, so I guess I did have the “good kind of fracture”. Yeah, right. Say for example that it for some odd reason it wasn’t service connected, but I know it was. Didn’t they have a duty and responsibility to tell me and treat me? Weren’t they supposed to do that? Why didn’t they? Was it malpractice, incompetence, ignorance, or just sheer stupidity??? In the meantime, I had to take a disability retirement from my fed gov job and having to retire this early, I will lose approximately $1.5 million dollars in lost earnings. All because the Army and the VA didn’t tell me or treat me when they found out about it. Funny thing is, I didn’t have it when I joined the Army and it is not hereditary because my Mom at almost 80 doesn’t have it and my Dad got osteopenia at 70, so it had to be environmental. For me to have it at 32 years old is significant and the Army Doctor even stated that it was unusual for a 32-year old male. Had they told me and treated me, I wouldn’t have severe osteoporosis and wouldn’t have fractured a vertebra. I also could probably put in for a disability retirement, but no one told me and the herniated discs and my osteoporosis might have gotten me a disability retirement off of active duty. So, do I have a case? I am trying to get it retroactively back to when I got off of active duty in 2005, Hopefully, I will be successful. If I sue, how much is a vertebra worth? How much is one worth to you? Mine? Priceless, it’s priceless.

    1. If the VA was a public owned business it would be bankrupt… forty years ago! My own experience and I have the paper work so I’m not just talking through muffled jeans, is both appalling and in no way has the VA medical in Northern California aided me with any sort of positive medical outcome or care other than, misdiagnosis, over medication, and NOT ATTENTING TO MY SERVICE CONNECTED WOUND that I received while in combat! They at the Martinez, California as the 1980’s have caused me to lose job, there fore F’n up my financial security, caused me considerable discomfort with their neglect. There is no honor among those who the VA labels as doctor’s that I have had and now, the dental department has joined the FUBAR rest of the Mare Island, Martinez if not the total Northern Californian VA Health System with one dental assistant and one lying ass dentist. On the medical reports they all write like everything is hunky dory but, in reality my teeth and gum’s have hurt ever since November 13th, 2014. Some attempts by the Chief Dentist and the Dentist I now see but they didn’t cause this abortion Myra and Mosuer did and they probably got a bonus or boner because “any thing to help the veteran to his or her grave” attitude that runs freely in the VA today. They can’t even get compression stockings in a timely manner. The Congressman are useless and follow suit to the VA BS. I want to sue them, the things some of those failed doctors have said to me like “You Have No Rights” by the very doctor Brian Richardson who aided in me being let go of my job, he didn’t even know what my war wound were but maintained “he was my doctor.” Bull Shit! It isn’t funny because the degrading comments made by a gambit of doctors and other’s at no consequence and I’m sure they were handed out their bonus and that tube of KY for screwing their quota of VETERANS! The FUBAR Veterans Administration and all their “REGULATION’S” are nothing more than this Obama, Pol Pot, Putin Regime that will have the United States not only in the toilet but pushed down the sewer pipes of hell! I had a dream, and in that dream the flag of ISIS was flying over the White House….FTVA! We can bitch and moan on this site but in reality nothing is or will be done in practice of what the head mouths spew out it again is all talk and no action so that makes it a SNAFU same as it always was and will be…

      1. i like the pol pot part, cambodian POS he was. and i really like the was part since i am pretty sure he is long gone and in hell where he will stay for eternity.

  19. I thought the VA could not be sued, how can one with a traumatic brain injury find a lawyer to assist me with the slander, lies that the VA did to me by reporting me to the disruptive committee and punished me for something I never did and they have no proof that I did anything. But yet they have threatened me with Federal charges, Jail time and Banishment from all VA care ?. I could really use someone’s help !.

    1. James contact Robert Gillikin, Esq. at (757) 622-5000. He handles your type of Brain Injury and his consultation is free.

      1. Hi Danny what I need is a lawyer to help me fight the VA with their illegal Disruptive Committee. I am after 40 years 100% service connected from being shot in the head. I have an employee that I use to work with that reported me to the disruptive committee as retaliation, for something I said about the way she was performing her duties with a committee she was running before I had to retire.

        She was able to do so with out anyone making her provide the committee with any proof, the committee let hearsay determine my fate and the punished me with out giving me any chance to defend myself.

        I have written to senator bennets office, the DAV, the patient rep and Mr. McDonald, the IG. All have let the Same people who are hurting me answer the inquries. I asked Mr. McDonald office to force the Denver VA to provide his office with any evidence they used against me and I kept writing to Mr. McDonald via E-Mail and all of a sudden, every E-Mail I sent to his office Disapeared from my computer. I did not delete these.

        The last letter from the acting director of the Denver VA stated those were the facts reported at the time. They are making things up. If they were the facts reported at the time, why do they not provide the written facts they used to harm me. I know and they know there is no such evidence and they can not provide any evidence Because they do not exist.

        So I need an attorney who would go after them for violation of my civil and constitutional rights and Slander.

        How can anyone not require proof, before punishing someone in these here united states, where there are laws that are ignored by the VA. They know that if this would ever end up in court, it would be thrown out, As Hearsay can not be used to punish anyone.

        This has been going on for ten 10 years. I had a doctor shove his finger up my rectum and twist it around inside and when I complained his reply “oh did that hurt” I went to the directors office and the patient rep, no one would speak with me. One time I went back to the office, I seen the Chief of staff in his office and when I asked the Secertary to speak with him, He ran out of the office and three minutes later, another person doctor came to the office and he had a very angry look on his face and he took me into a room and flat out told me that the doctor I was talking about was one of his best doctors they had.

        His tone and actions put fear into me, as I was in a different state and had no way of leaving, I even went to the chaplin office and told him, that if anything happens to me, he would know why. Another veteran told me I better shut up or they will kill me.

        Just a few days later same hospital I had an apt with a doctor about my back, Chiopractor, they called it minulaption clinic. This was on a Monday and during the appt. the Doctor told me that he hurt his ribs after falling off a latter during the weekend. I told him if he was hurt he should not work on me as he might hurt himself even more. He stated no it ok and he proceeded to turn and twist my back and when he was done, I had this burning in my right leg, like needles poking me and this has never gone away.

        I filed claims against both doctors and the Regional Office did not what to hear about it.

        Does anyone know if the Government has the ability to go into ones computer and delete information from a private computer.

    1. Try Office of General Counsel, statutory support in the Freedom of Information ACT.

  20. Thank you for printing this story Ben. There are so many stories. I have been giving you the numbers, perhaps they were missed. 1200 people die Every Day, from medical error. The United States Senate held hearings July 17 2014, to investigate because it is such a serious problem. Only 3 of the 22 Senators on the committee even bothered to show up. Al Franken was A NO SHOW.

    I don’t know if there is any way to know how many of these are from VA, But in the last five years of working in advocacy I can tell you of many. I have stories from the Minneapolis VA. That I would never believe would be possible. Have a veteran that had 3 strokes, and no one could identify stroke symptoms, he was told he had high or low blood sugar and sent home. Would be happy to share them with you if you would like.

    The VA is not unique, the entire Medical System is now the Third Largest Killer In America. Imagine the VA is killing the veterans.

    .

      1. Very few vets have direct SC strokes, unless the get a rating secondary to IHD, or DMII for atroke.

        I know all about stroke

        Check this…I won a Section1151 CUE about 2 week’s ago due to my husband’s VA caused Stroke.He died with the stroke contributing to death, per FTCA award and there DIC award letter to me.
        His 1151 stroke rating was 100% from August 1992 to OCt, 1994.

        They paid 6 months of the initial CUE IN 2012 and granted the additional 16 or more months,2 weeks ago but said their is no accrued anount due me.

        I am still fully eligible for accrued.

        They ignored all of my legal evidence, and for the secord time in a month, made no BOD statement, and the Director of my VARO, by phone, said to me that
        there is no accrued bemnefit because the 22 month 100% rating ,that they paid 6 months retro on in 2012 is “temporary”for the 1151 stroke.
        That they caused.

        All of my legal evidence says it is P & T. Even a letter he got from a former VA Secretary,which they have ignored.

        I emailed Ms. Hickey (who responded right away) how can VA say the dead vet was not 100% P & T in his lifetime?for this stroke ?
        Did the VA completely cure him of the 100%stroke and residuals
        either the day before he died,or somehow they cured him after he ended up with a tag on his toe.on the ME’s autopsy slab.

        These people are hoping we will NOT challenge their stupidity.

        I wrote a topic on Rating errors today at http://www.hadi.com

        And have PLENTY there as to FTCA, and 1151 issues and a lot of stuff about this stroke situation.

        He had the stroke in 1992.

        Although I settled with them many years ago,they are still paying me the debt, that they cannot pay him.

        because I also proved the malpractice was on two AO conditions.

        death by VA 1997 FTCA
        death due to AO DMII 2010 (never diagnosed or treated in his lifetime,
        death due to AO IHD, 2012 Nehmer award.

        I dont know if this vet’s wife would be eligible for 1151 due to the Fed Cir, but then again this was not a FTCA matter (offset provision) at that point.

        If she does try to get a 1151 award if he dies, VA will probably come up with some idea that the vet was not 100% P & T for stroke in his lifetime, therefore still he does not have the P & T designation , then he isnt really dead.

        Why do we put up with these illiterate lazy bastards who are only putting in time to collect their FERs retirement.

      2. My husband, Lawrence Lodato who the VA did not even realize he had an anurism on his aorta when the Elliot Hospital told me he was full of cancer..they did not know what would kill him first, the heart condtion the VA did not diagnose or the cancer the VA did not diagnose..Lawrence told them he was running fevers for a year of 104+ and they told him he had a concussion..he had a bug bite on his head and the diagnosis is a concussion..Lawrence was full of cancer for well over a year, his heart was ready to blow and I had to put the Do Not Resucitate order in immediately, one day after being admitted to the Elliot, now Lawrence had been going to the Manchester VA, NH for over 4 years, 3 times a month..he was running high fevers, over 104, monthly that I tried to take care of since the VA did not believe him…they also changed his records and say he did not complain..they lie and cover their asses and I it makes it very hard to suit the government when they destroy your records, change the evidence and never told Lawrence anything about his heart ready to blow at any time..but the Elliot got Lawrence to late and he died 2 weeks after being admitted to the Elliot Hospital..The VA denies everything…they say Lawrence had arthritic changes…they did notice he lost 50 pounds in 3 months..they inject him with a steroid which made his cancer spread really fast..deny knowing he had cancer…I am sick reading about how many vets are being killed everyday at the VA more than died in the Vietnam war..my husband was a Vietnam Vet and should not have been ignored by the VA..if they had real doctors at the VA instead of the lazy fat bumbs that do nothing but take drugs and drink…then they want the patient to make sure he has no illegal drugs in his system..If they had paid attention to Lawrence Lodato’s illness they would have known he was losing weight very quickly, running high fevers for no reason and the VA tells him you must have hit your head…The cancer was going to his brain, it was everywhere in his body..My dogs get better care from my vet than my husband ever got from the VA…They will all burn in hell, everyone who works there is the same..they cover up for each other, lie, steal and cheat our government and our Veterans…They should fire every doctor and someone should start a class action lawsuit for anyone who has been harmed or killed by the VA in any state…they should have to pay the families and the Vets every dime they steal from the us..We are paying them to kill our loved ones…they are as horrible as terrorist..they kill our veterans with lies and horrible care if any..all the doctors and nurses at the Manchester, NH VA are corrupt liars..they only hurt our veterans, they don’t help them..I do not understand how no one does anything…they pass a bill saying you can go to a doctor close but by the time they did this my husband was dead…he would be alive today if his heart problem and cancer had been diagnosied..they kept saying he was diabetic but his sugar never hit 100…if he took the metformin he would get really sick as his sugar was already low..it was the cancer that was messing up his pancreas…they are the worse doctors I have ever seen in my life..our animals get better care than our veterans do…I would like to know how we start a class action lawsuit against the government for any and all veterans who have been harmed or killed by their malpractice, misdiagnosis, ill treatments…there has to be a way to get them to give up there livlihood and never hurt another veteran again…Senator Ayotte and Shaheen both said how much they have done to help the veterans but they are not really doing anything..all lip service..they are in bed with the VA and all the horrible doctors and nurses that work at the VA…They will all get theirs someday..they talk the talk and get elected but do nothing to help really, just lie like the doctors and nurses at the Manchester Va do..my husband either died from his aorta blowing up or the cancer everywhere in his body.. I got $300 to help pay for his cremation…I am on disability and had no money but took a loan out to bury my husband…I got a flag, big deal…I want my husband back and that they can not give me..the manchester, NH VA killed Lawrence Lodato and they have buried his records…altered them and left me with nothing…They murder are veterans everyday….we have to do something…

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