Malpractice: Veterans Affairs Negligently Induced Deadly Allergic Reaction, Pays $500,000 To Settle Malpractice Case
Veterans Affairs recently settled a wrongful death lawsuit for $500,000 involving an 84-year-old veteran who died from an allergic reaction to the medication the agency gave him to treat pneumonia for of which the veteran was allergic.
“Their own records said he was allergic,” said family attorney Leland Dempsey. The legal documents filed showed veteran John Beemer had a known allergy to cephalosporin medications including Ceftriaxone as far back as 2008.
Beemer became ill from pneumonia on April 6, 2016, prior to a scheduled father and son trip to Mexico. Craig Beemer, the veteran’s son, drove him to the nearest VA facility for treatment.
At the Kansas City VA, Craig said a doctor asked his dad about possible allergies to medication, “He said, ‘I’m allergic to this antibiotic’, and the doctor looked at it and said ‘ok,’”. The doctor administered Ceftriaxone through IV, anyway, and sent the veteran home.
“He [the doctor] said ‘it’s not enough to keep you here,’” said Craig.
The next day, Craig went to see his dad. “He’s bright red,” Craig Beemer said. “It looked like he had sat on the beach for a week.”
Beemer with his son went back to Kansas City VA for treatment of a “drug rash” and was admitted into the ICU. The agency gave Beemer even more Ceftriaxone before anyone checked his medical records the second time.
RELATED: West Haven VA Leaves Scalpel In Veteran
His condition continued to worsen. “It burned him from the inside,” Craig Beemer said. “It’s like they put him in a microwave.”
“By April 11, 2016, Mr. Beemer’s drug rash progressed to pustular lesions that covered his face,” the lawsuit filing says. Lesions of that kind are considered a textbook symptom of Steven-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. These conditions are associated with allergic reactions to cephalosporin medications.
“At no time did any of his caregivers review his medical records to see that Mr. Beemer was allergic to Ceftriaxone,” said the lawsuit filing.
Basically, any VA resident could have checked on WebMD and realized what the veteran was suffering from.
Elderly Veteran Dies From Ceftriaxone
Kansas City VA failed to diagnose the conditions and continued the course of treatment ultimately concluding the veteran needed hospice rather than pulling him off the medications. He died on April 26.
RELATED: VA Has An $8 Million Sexual Harassment Problem
“I knew something was wrong but you would never think if you say you’re allergic to something that they’ll give it to you,” Craig Beemer said. “We trusted the doctors-you kind of have a feeling they know what they’re doing.”
This is a classic example where VA induced the veteran’s condition, erroneously concluded the veteran was just dying and put him out to pasture in hospice.
We hear of cases like this on a regular basis where the agency fails to timely diagnose an obvious condition and lets the veteran die.
RELATED: Veteran Suicide In John Cochran VA Waiting Room
Other Recent Kansas City VA Malpractice Case
This is not the only case of malpractice linked to Kansas City VA healthcare.
In 2010, negligent mental health care was linked to the suicide death of Marine veteran William Draughon.
There, Judge Julie Robinson held VA breached its own standards of care when agency clinicians removed Draughon from the high-risk suicide list.
RELATED: New VA Suicide Prevention Program Rolled Out
“This, coupled with the dearth of evidence that any clinician examined William, or reviewed his file before determining that the flag should be removed, is strong evidence that no provider exercised clinical judgment in removing the flag,” Robinson wrote in her 42-page decision.
My brother was “treated at the Detroit VA. He had an infection in his leg which progressed to the point of him seeking help at the VA.
They preformed surgery on his leg, sent him home with meds and a visiting nurse. My brother had other problems but the focus on the leg and total malpractice led to his death! The VA killed him.
I could not convince his daughters to file a law suite agents the Detroit VA. Very sad situation. I would urge all veterans to keep a competent caregiver and VA contact. Review who you use, make sure they are able to do what my brother’s daughters were not able to do.
To all,
The wife and I just watched a 1992 movie called “SNEAKERS”!
With Robert Redford, Mary McDonnell, River Phoenix, Sidney Poitier, , and a whole lot more “A list” actors.
A short synopsis of it is about: a “little black box”, “too much information”, the “New World Order” and the “NSA Spying on Americans”!
And this was in 1992! Coincidence?????
I don’t think I have to add any more without completely giving away the plot!
Politicians, hopefully encouraged by Trump, let us help you clean up the VA by pushing for the removal of Tort Laws relating to the VA. The VA unjust, corruption, and other illegal crimes will be easier to deal with, while most of the other problems would fall under the VA distribution and operational side. By removing the Tort Law, this could pronounce a better focus on the VA. It would surely remove a chunk of obstacles from the reformation of this swamp ridden Federal Agency.
This was murder, pure and simple, nothing less than that ! They ignored the man’s words and killed him dead. Poof. The whole hospital staff should be Bullwhipped and sent to a jail cell full of cell mates that are into broomstick-type butt raping (with splinters on the wood), then crucified on a TV special. This story should be top-lined front and center on every TV station, every newspaper, and on every internet news story. And his settlement was a chinch $500,000 (after a long argument I’m sure) ? This should be the closing nail in the coffin to shut down the VA totally as of tonight.
Don’t trust these a-holes. The one statement question that I always say to VA medical staph, “it’s in my medical record, didn’t you read mine to get to know me ?”
I have to always remind VA staph things that they should know about me. VA staph, their dangerous.
I’ll say it if you won’t, . . . VA = Veteran Assassinators.
And the MSM, the Celebs, the Sports Professionals, most of them have sold Veterans out as well. These groups of people hardly ever band together for the benefit of Veterans. Oh OK, maybe once in a great while they do.
Nutter, VA *staph* is correct. Contagious, many times fatal, filthy, smelly, and nasty, hard, can be highly expensive to cure. Not well reported.
Never think they could make a mistake? Hahahahaha
My primary care doctor had me on duloxetine for fibromyalgia, I had a Urinary tract infection and she scripted cipro from the CBOC stock and then ordered a 30 day supply of Cipro I was to pick up (and did) from the pharmacy at the main VA two days later.
Luckily, I don’t trust a thing these people do and I looked up possible interactions on the internet. This is a direct quote from a site “Serotonin syndrome associated with a duloxetine-ciprofloxacin combination: Serotonin syndrome (SS) is a potentially life-threatening adverse drug reaction.”
I discontinued the duloxetine for 3 days before taking the cipro and suffered no ill effects (withdrawal). I then went to a private urologist the next week who told me to never take cipro for 30 days. If you are that bad off, you need to be hospitalized. The UTI cleared up after seven days on the Cipro.
I changed PCPs. When I put in the change request, the original PCP said I would like to talk to you. I told her, no I am not talking to you. I don’t take kindly to people who try to kill me with their stupidity. I then said, if you insist on talking to me, I will make a call to the Inspector General and see what he thinks about your prescribing. I guess that shut her up. All she put in my medical record, veteran refused to talk to me about change of PCPs.
You are your own best advocate. Don’t forget they are “practicing” medicine. Just don’t let that practice kill you.
Wise words.
I am routinely convinced avoiding the VHA is the best thing I can do to life a longer and healther life, thanks America.
Off topic
I just learned from starting my continuing disability review for SSDI that as of 2017 PTSD is officially recognized by SSDI as a diagnosis by itself that prevents substantial gainful employment. For me personally it was the side diagnosis of depression and anxiety that SSDI used in addition to skeletal problems but not officially PTSD. This is relevant to this crowd because of course VBA does award for PTSD alone. So a PTSD diagnosis by itself is enough now to qualify for SSDI if it impacts your ability to earn a substantial living according to SSDI.
Of course SSDI is all or nothing so their PTSD rules seem pretty similar to the rules needed for a 100% VBA award. I thought is was relevant to post.
Although Ben is stating that the “doctor” prescribed the Ceftriaxone all the articles on the web that I can find are stating “Hospital staff administered Ceftriaxone”.
Personally I am wondering if the drug was prescribed by one of the Nurses, Physicians Assistance or Pharma Techs now playing doctor at the VA.
If the VA wants to truly stop this from happening to Veterans they need to start publishing names of Doctors and the bogus Doctors at the VA when they are responsible for negligent homicide. Also they need to start prosecuting them when they kill Veterans through their incompetence.
But Hey, The AFGE and all VA employees can still stand and shoot “We are Number One, We are Number One”. That is number one in the ratings as the deadlest health care system in America.
@Seymore Klearly
That brings another point to the fore: What if the administering person was a student? I know for a fact that the students work all shifts and are also practicing at the ER in the university connected VAMC’s. The student would be held harmless I suppose and the training doctor, like all of the rest of the VHA doctors….
Possibly an H-1B Visa holder? “Jello. I amb dokTOR Karma Sudra. Ow nize to mead you. I will be gibbing you a shod . . .”
What WE really need is this doctors name for future usage.
500K is like a small price to get away with negligent homicide. If the VA had to pay 500 Million, it might take note and insure these events never occur, but hey…they dont even miss a step on this amount.
I go to the VA but quite frankly I’m scared to death of them!
Document everything, get and keep copy’s of medical records, take a friend along, gather as much info as possible, talk to vets that know what to do. It’s illegal in my state but record, video them if legal. Pray, and phase out the VA if you can and better your position, and keep coming back to Ben’s site. Probably heard it before, but hope it helps, deep breathing exercises help too, it really does.
How is $500K going to fix anything?!?
Need to fire and incarcerate these pieces of sh….like yesterday!!!
That’s all I can say.
BTW, I don’t ever go to the VA for medical anything…
I’m fortunate enough to have Medicare due to SSDI and if that fails I also have a state employed girlfriend who’s gonna marry me soon enough anyways. I feel for the guys who are forced to endure this barbarism.
For months I have no medical insurance and STILL will not go to the VA. Right now I’m nurising a possible infection (from accidentally hitting it when lifting something) in my knuckle and it is healing. Thank God. But nope, I rather risk losing my finger than the VA touching me!!!
If you need antibiotics to kill an infection do some research on fish antibiotics. Pretty much the same exact thing you need an RX for. Just make sure to get the right class and do some research on a dosing schedule.
Now that the truth has come out about employees at the VA, VBA, friends and family members of both have been stealing from the Veterans while they are dying constitute a NATIONAL SECURITY and these people are to be held responsible.
I am constantly in contact with the White House and President Donald Trump about these egregious issues. It is not enough to fire these people, these people should loose everything including their “FREEDOM”. I am not going to stop fighting for the Veterans and Surviving Spouses of Veterans until these people are incarcerated, and their pensions given back to the very Veterans and Surviving Spouses that they have stolen from.
Quancidine Hinson-Gribble
Aaah sweet geezuz. Here I am, plodding my way through Medicare options and wondering if I should bother with Part B or not, and I read this shit. What to do, what to do?. Pocket the $138 per month and roll the dice with the VA? Or, literally, Plan B? The decision matrix is pretty straightforward. At it’s core, it’s all about premature death. Forty five years ago – those odds were pretty high, but not as high as others. Since then, the prospect for early death came up fairly often, outside of the normal statistical probabilities. Now days, the statistical probability is way higher for the normal stuff.
One might not think that any measure of quality of life can be influenced by $138 per month. But, then again, Medicare is its own clusterfuck. One system will drive you bat-shit crazy and possibly murder you, and the other system will drive you bat shit crazy, rob you blind. At this point, either one could induce compounding clinical and cynical depression and a guy could always end up murdering himself, which, gets us back to statistical probabilities.
Oh what twisted webs we weave, you wascowy wabbits – he he he he he
Spend the $138. per month for peace of mind with at least a clusterfuck that will be held accountable WHILE they drive you batshit crazy….it’s what I’m doing, and Pt. D Drug Plan because until the VA is safe for ALL Vets, I am not using the VA, but having SSDI, I have that option and know many Vets do not so while my health allows it and I’m breathing, these third world hacks at the VA are going down…
Windguy. IMHO…. spare no expense with Medicare and shop around, talk to somebody in person or phone with established businesses. What a trip it is trying to play the game. At one time I was going to drop it all years back and good thing I didn’t. Then later after the VA crap and wait period, got on a Part D drug program and a Medicare Supplement to cover cost basic Medicare would not cover. Saved my ass right off the bat. Simple cataract surgery that was to cost around two grand per eye turned into 4 grand, plus uncovered costs/procedures…. plus $19,000.00 for the hospital game. Plus hundreds in eye drops, six kinds, $300.00 for one small bottle alone without Part D, and the MD kept 4 out of six I had filled when as ordered taken them to the hospital with me. Scam or not? Ploy to get costly meds they can grab and send over-seas to their homeland after seeing bags of them through a cracked door in their office??? Who knows, I have enough shit on my plate to deal with. And still having troubles after the surgeries and may have to go through more shit. So beware out there, cover thine ass well.
If I had the bucks I’d move to the Amazon and do Voodoo and Shaman stuff and gnaw on some trippy vines, lick poisonous frogs, I am so fed up with this American shit.
My plan is $160.00 PM and D is sixty. Has some limits per month but saved my bacon so far and so far worth every penny. Now all I gotta do is find a real ethical MD to take on a new patient and not play the politics or VA game.
It’s odd. I get all my meds via VA nearly free. One of them is $4k+ on the outside. It took a wee bit of finesse to get to “that” specialist outside of the infamous Roseburg system. Our little clinic in Brookings seems to have stabilize with two full time Docs etc. Ambulance is covered by Life Flight membership (neighbor got a $70k trip to PDX for ticker stuff, VA paid that and local ER and ground ambulance).
So – I ponder how nice it would be with a functional uncorrupted single payer system. Always a dance. Always the Boho dance. Push pull. Boost buck. Damn near physics.
If i had some bucks i’d go back to and take some soil and water samples and i know right where go too. But at least you could go into any of the pharmacia’s and buy the medication you needed, that’s how it worked when i was down that way. At Least one didn’t have to go see the politically appointed/approved quack expert in a four county area to be scrutinized, have ones sanity questioned, then drive cross town to the pharmacy, sign your life away, drive back home, an all day experience just to get the medicine needed, a real chore when sick. But last i read the Chinese have taken over, don’t know. Anyway T thats a place one could live and live good, even on my meager allowance and the mushrooms are soo big and the wildlife first class. Food for thought.
Hey T,
Regarding your statement “Now all I gotta do is find a real ethical MD to take on a new patient and not play the politics or VA game.”.
Although I know this will not help most on here but may provide an alternative to Veterans in the New England states. Especially those who have been receiving care at Manchester VAMC and the likes.
A recent post by Dr. Merly Nass about her self and her current practice in the state of Maine.
“https://anthraxvaccine.blogspot.com/”
Seymore,
I would try her in a heart-beat insurance or not. She is like MD Elaine Geroge breaking away from insurance companies and the normal AMA, government, or Med board games. Pity I can’t find MDs like them here in my state.
“Left high school early to attend MIT!” Thinks outside the box, integrative medicine. Damn. Here we get foriengers, bottom of the class – barely passing grade levels, and uncaring idiots just out for the bucks, prestige, to have some MD in their family/cliques, and for powers.
VA informed me that there was no such thing as chronic fatigue, no test for it, and would not test me for lyme disease, too expensive and would have to be sent outside the VA to do. Similar with allergy or environmental illness testing. Neuro just poked a finger between my eyes and said… hurt? Nope. You don’t have CF. (?) Just “doubted” that my many issues of pain or joint issues had to do with a “bug bite” long ago other than the usual arthritis, bursitis, degenerative stuff or past surgeries.
Should have moved up that way with some co-workers about thirty years ago. Dug Blood worms, live in the woods, fish, eat crabs, etc. Too late.
Thanks for the link and info. Hope that helps someone out there.
A better link to follow to insure you reach the right post is:
Meryl Nass, M.D.’s Integrative Internal Medicine Practice BIO
“https://anthraxvaccine.blogspot.com/2018/03/meryl-nass-mds-integrative-internal.html”
My Bio:
@T
The testing is too expensive?
Let me make sure I got that right, the testing is too expensive?
Remember W and his phrase “fuzzy math”? Oh brother! Does that one ever apply here!
The meds to treat the symptoms, and further resulting symptoms, over the course of umpteen years is far less expensive than a test? In what reality?
Then “Riddle me this”, for what purpose are they constantly subjecting both genders to cancer screenings? Does anyone really think VHA will administer expensive treatments for those patients, unless they are experimental or need to train a student?
Yes that was one report told. I doubt if such attitudes or remarks made it into any of my files. Must not have been.
Locally contrary to reports, news saying more money was to be dumped in the VA, claims of money given to the VA, so-called training, hiring, they had some rather deep cuts here and it was due to their finances… how funds were to be spent or lack of. Or it was dumped in useless IT machines, unions, or systems. With claims of money going to help vets and fulfill their needs.
Since about 2010 and on things were being cut or items used became no longer available or the VA went to cheaper things like shoes for example. I have to use SAS with special made orthodontics. They went to a much cheaper brand and style that just didn’t work for all including me. But we were told it was due to cut-backs and change of outside providers for many items. I couldn’t even get those new style or make of shoe on let alone wear them. They were junk to me caused more pain, more sores/blisters to cramps trying to get them on it was pathetic. But told to use them, give them away, buy my own or go without, the “VA is changing including product purchasing and suppliers… never going back.” I bought my own and still do at about $230.00 a pop per pair depending on where I find them or ordered from. They also dropped special made thick diabetic socks they provided but can’t be found outside the VA today and I have searched all over. Name brand couldn’t be found either. Was told they were from private VA suppliers, “very expensive” no longer available or for open public sales.
Saved monies and staff costs not giving out same day travel pay. No staff to pay doing it, longer wait times for us in dire need of it to travel. Maybe more money for their interest rates.
Things like T.E.N.S units used to be easily picked up. Then had to wait for them to be ordered that took months maybe. No more free batteries either.
To them cutting down X-rays or scans outside locally demanding we drive a couple hundred miles so they could save money and play games. Same for physical therapy at times. And on it went. Including them saving some bucks on travel pay for those coming in out of state or far off for physical meeting groups once held here. It was cut and cut, dropped programs, etc. Just depending who was willing to speak some truth instead of BSing us.
Just like sending us out for acupuncture then wanting us to bicker prices with some MD since they claimed their charges were to high and the MD saying they would not drop their charges to match what the VA was willing to pay…nor drop high charges for a patient. Well, not for a male patient.
Used to hand out the Capsaicin cream for pain including latex gloves. No more gloves.
Oh, and they stopped some of the cancer screening things they did. Like with some test or those cards sent out we were to put samples in and send back. Now you have to buy them in the civy world to use that form of testing.
It was a very long list I can’t even think of it all right now.
I don’t understand why the attorney didn’t file a case in the Criminal Court System?
He had evidence. I wonder if the courts said; “That’s the VA!” “We don’t want to tangle with them!” “They got too many attorneys to get it thrown out, then sue the family for false information about the victim!”
IMO, attorney didn’t file anything because no money to be made.
But still a DOJ Attorney (who is the “prosecutor” for federal employees should grab this and start a case w/o anyone suggesting it!!!
But no, we are wasting taxpayers’ dollars on a Russian interference with the elections?!?!?
Yes, our country sure has its priorities straight…
I’ve stated this before on here but years ago when my health really took a major nosedive and I was using both State Medicaid and partially VA while filing SSDI and VA Disability Claims at same time and I did not stay at the VA very long because today’s article could have easily been me on several levels of types of medications.
We all know the VA just LOVES Gabapentin. For my peripheral neuropathy, they would not RX Lyrica as it was not on the official VA Pharm. Formulary and my particualr VA hack from middle yeast, made it quite clear he did not have the time to fill-out forms to try to get Lyrica approved off-formulary and was told to “wait and see” after I came back and both legs from knees down had swelled to an Elephantiasis scary way not even any shoes fit…went to VA in thick socks on bus….told to “wait and see…”
Went back a third time and the VA hack swore I was having blood clots and heart/circulatory issues, ran oodles of heart fucking tests…went home and that weekend ended-up in city slum ER and was told by my still civilian/private Infectious Disease Specialist…”You are having a CLASSIC DEADLY ALLERGIC REACTION TO Gabapentin….THE VA IS GOING TO KILL YOU….please get away from there when you can…”
Now, final straw was the VA’s ineptitude over my particular nasties of Infectious Disease….I learned quickly the VA was still 15+ years behind on their “approved formulary drugs”, yet touts WORLD CLASS Medicine BS….
So the VA almost killed me a couple ways and if I did not have Medicare, I’m pretty sure I would be fermented worm-dirt by now.
I was told by my Infectious Disease Specialist that any first year nursing student would have know to consider Gabaoentin as what was almost killing me….but this was a God Syndrome Middle Yeastern ASSHOLE….then when they built the brand new VAMC here, the VA STILL did not build an ID Clinic, making anyone that uses the VA, having to travel to Dayton on a funny hatter van or drive…I get nauseated at drop of any hat…I should add the cherry on top was that asshole VA hack’s RN telling me with a door wide open “At the VA YOU HAVE NO PRIVACY”….very fucking scary assholes.
Still in a fucked mood. Where’s my cat with that vaporizer?
“We trusted the doctors” Before I get started, I would just like to say I’m glad the Beemer family SUED THE FUCKIN COCKROACHES. Manslaughter, criminal negligence, I bet that quack is still there or in the system somewhere. It’s a sad state of affairs when one should bring there lawyer along when in need of health care, but that’s what its coming too. Never under any condition trust anyone who works for or collaborates with the VA in any capacity. Yeah I know some of them are friendly and there nice, but fuck friendly and nice, I want a quack that knows what there doing, has some mental retention, and can think on there own. It’s gotten to the point that most of the time I don’t know if i’m talking to a doctor or am i talking to a lawyer when i go to the VA
why do I have the feeling the VA received compensation for the pharmaceutical results from the manufacturer of the deadly dose.
Yeah, i got that feeling too
@Peter Kreutzfeldt–Just when I thought I couldn’t foam anymore out my ears and nose over this Veteran’s negligent murder by the fucking VA, you paint a very plausible background to WHY the fucks would administer the SAME deadly RX to him again? (can see Nurse Ratched on phone in VA ER when this Vet showed-up):
“[…not quite dead yet, better give him more and let the manufacturer know they need to give my engorged indifferent ass a performance bonus for having to administer a second deadly dose and tell them to make it stronger…]”
(paraphrased from my imagination station cortex)
500,000.00 ?
Let me put this into perspective…..sooooo, they pay an Ex-GITMO detainee, 10 million,
“https://wreg.com/2017/02/22/ex-gitmo-detainee-paid-10-million-by-british-government-becomes-iraqi-suicide-bomber/”
who then turns around and becomes a suicide bomber, in Iraq, yet an American Veteran, it’s okay to torture, and murder, by injection. |====|iiiiiiiii|>——– and only pay out a paltry 1/2 mill?
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Yeahhhhhhhh……….that’s the ticket!!!!!!!
Fuck you VA.
…………………./´¯/)
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@CJ – – – Ahem, THAT was the British Government (Her Majesty’s Crown) that did that. Not OUR government. In this country, OUR government would have given the Gitmo detainee turned suicide bomber at least three times as much.
But a veteran who has actually served? Nada. Zero.
Know Guns. Know Peace, Know Safety. No Guns. No Peace. No Safety.
We don’t execute prisoners this inhumanely because the Constitution forbids cruel and unusual punishment. I’m not sure why family attorney Dempsey settled the case for 500k it seems the VA should have had to fork over their fucking teeth to this family. Yet nobody, beyond a small group of people who like to self identify as veterans, will care much beyond “Gosh, that’s just so sad.” And in two or so weeks after the professional hand wringers get done doing their dance in front of the oversight committees it will be determined that a new law needs to be passed that doctors will from now on double dog pinky swear promise to try and look for allergic notations in patient records. Fuck you murderers.
If this had happened to my kin. I’d take that 500k. Buy me a solid gold rifle and wait for that motherfucking quack to come out the door.
I’d use a spent uranium alloy hammer on the quack’s head until it came out his asshole. Lead would work just fine, no quack blood to defile otherwise good gold.
@WyldeChylde – – – Damn Straight!
ROSIE I have Bipolar and PTSD from the Military May I should be more taking the message not mess. .
Being very allergic to a number of things, including medicine the VA likes to hand out like candy, I cannot think of a simple way the VA uses to show a veteran is allergic to something other than what is in their records somewhere…if the vet can prove they are allergic to said medicine.
At one time, the Army had a red dog tag showing the allergy. I’ve seen red bracelets, and the civilian world might have pendants. Does anyone know if the VA has any kind of alert for an allergy other than it being in a record somewhere?
I mentioned before about being allergic to a VA prescription. I tried over several months and 4 different appointments to get allergy tested to prove it so the VA would change the prescription, but the clinic canceled every appointment. After the 4th cancellation, I took the medicine causing the allergy, and went to the VA ER later that day due to the reaction. Some nurse was bitchy about taking the medicine knowing I had an allergy to it. She didn’t care when I told her the appointment I had to prove the allergy was canceled 4 times. The VA finally agreed I had an allergy to that entire class of medicine. It still took weeks to get the prescription changed.
That was over 20 years ago. I have yet to see how the VA knows I am allergic to that medicine other than it being documented in my records. They ask me, I tell them, and they now believe me without checking any record.
@91 and all
We’ve all likely seen the ads at some point and the brand name is easily go-ogled. The least expensive bracelet is $20. There is no excuse for th VHA not to provide these for patients!
@Rosie- The VA would spare no expense on the very best cattle branding-irons, and the contractor would make oodles of $ because *each* Veteran Branding Iron (VBI), would simply be each of our unique social sec. #’s, and the VA would simply brand our asses for Uncle Sugar’s Fat Farm.
In a moo-oo-oo-d today. 😀
I hear ya Nam!!
Rosie, naw such stuff might save lives.
I am up to six dog tags and one bracelet, info in my wallet I carry. Three of the tags are red for medical and will have to add one more so if something happens I won’t be taken to Union hospital here or clinic that I just had fun with, walked away from just like I did the VA over their activist, covering-up crap, and VA retaliation networking. Some of the calls I got from there and others I wouldn’t stand a chance in that hell hole staying alive with the hate the female staff/others, and those connected to local politicians among others have shown me, and others through the years.
I also carry Med Alert doo-dad, fall thing, and GPS/voice gadget. I have to call them later on too and inform them to put in my notes not to carry my wretched worthless targeted butt to that hospital and clinic either. Like I have on my tags concerning the VA, not to trust their reports/files, and med notes. Damn shame some of us have to live this way or know others that died for not taking certain precautions or carrying med alerts on them. If it would even do any good. I know I’ve encountered many times informing MD and nurses about what to do, or for me to take, then them doing the exact opposite… just minutes later. What was called in to the wrong pharmacy, etc. Or not noted in my files… if they can locate them.
@T
I get what you are saying, …more baffling bull disguised as the best care VHA will provide.
91Veteran,
I’m allergic to “CODEINE”! It used to be written on the first page. Now it’s no WHERE to be found, unless they look for it!
My wife has said, in no uncertain terms, IF anyone gives me that, or any medication which causes me pain – to – death, It WILL BE their hide!
When she walks through the door, she reads off three meds VA gave me – which caused negative reactions – plus my allergy to CODEINE!
“I pity the fool” who doesn’t listen!
@Arnold
The thing that is annoying to so many here, is a lack of contribution from you regarding the subjects being posted; rather, you are deliberately trying to hijack posters from Ben to some other site.
The VA killed a vet by allergic reaction to medicine documented in his records because they are lazy, indifferent fucks that either could not or would not read his records.
They killed him because they were too arrogant to listen to the vet, and gave him the medicine anyway.
Why are there not about a dozen fat ass nurses, a couple of PAs and at least one third world quack not being prosecuted for negligent homicide?
Review the difference that would have happened if this were some state regulated nursing home. There would have been state regulators crawling all over that place finding out what happened and initiating enforcement actions on anyone having anything to do with this vet.
But its the VA. Just veterans. And it doesn’t affect directly some funny hat wearing bastards whose only concern is to Save Our Gravy Train.
Articles like this is exactly the reason why I’m afraid of the VHA healthcare. The odds of receiving something I’m allergic to, especially in the current time period, IS a good possibility.
Or,
The odds of being misdiagnosed, especially in this current time period, is a better than average possibility!
Or,
The odds of being “murdered” by a VHA employee, as was done in Louisiana and who knows where else, IS a great possibility!
The “list” goes on and on and on ——-!
When will someone do something about these criminal activities?
More articles like this, more reports from vets that won’t make it into our files, needs plastered all over and kept on file for all to see like on Ben’s site here. Too damn many stories don’t make it out for the public to read about or to expose how the VSOs to media just turn their heads not wanting to get involved or stir-the-pot. Botched surgeries, nicked arteries, the change from meds that worked for some over the years to be changed to something leading to issues then death sentence like with heart or BP issues.
Elf your short list and much more are some of the many reasons I gave up and walked away from VA care and cut off all communications with them. Problem is we are not believed when we question malpractice, unethical treatment, or misconduct. Civy health care workers and others are led to believe that the many issues are all our fault and ours alone.
I left the local CBOC and my first MD at Indy was Dr. Howard. An older Black gal that had the gall to tell me she didn’t have time to read my files but then started changing every damn thing. Then told me she couldn’t find other clinic tests or files, and like the quacks later on at the new chronic pain clinic orientation was told… to forget everything about health care todate I/we’d need to start all the testing/diagnosis and clinic running all over again. And to never use civilian care or Choice card again… ever even for emergencies. Drive to Roudebush Indy a hundred miles away for heart attacks, after vehicle accidents (?!) whatever. Insanity. Years of care gone due to VA and contractor BS and cover-ups. But it’s OUR fault for not trusting them to daring to question them. I simply asked at the Purple Team front desk if she is treating all new patients like that or why ‘the team’ had no time to read my file, and I wanted to change clinics after my very first visit there due to the attitudes and actions there.
Then told to see the new Howard replacement coming in, since the fine MD was leaving that position. She was younger, Golla, and not worth a shit, full of lies,excuses, the “news from the top,” then sent to the pain clinic for the low-down on new VA care styles and demands. And could not change PCPs more than once per year … if that. Even the pain clinic told her to keep on my lowered standard meds…. the new PCP denied them and gave me her line of crap. During that battle and broken jaw episode, dealing with the PA and other freaks … I left. Hell with them.
Not much better care at Union civy hospital here, or possibly others either since so much is just let go or not reported. Most just let things slide by. Wait for hours to see a loved one in the ICU. A few hours after being told they, her, him, are being cleaned up for a visit. Nope. Walk in anyway after a very long wait to find heavily soiled linens scattered on the floor, patient lying in their own puke, fluids and filth while the trophy nurses are sitting doing their nails, filling out B-day cards, eating munches, one older nurse running nuts around the unit seemingly trying to do what the blondes were supposed to be helping with. Then be told I shouldn’t walk in like that and he, she, was on DNR list and should not be disturbed and I should obey their request and expectations. I was breaking the rules?? They lived through that mistreatment and neglect but it’s okay to shove God only knows how many people like that into rooms to die or suffer alone, keeping friends and family away, while nursy has good times, do their social shit or high society games and pretend to care? Oh they are connected to local politicians and country clubbers or the Greek college clubs or downtown cliques…so all others don’t matter. People need to wake up and stop trusting any of those freaks and psychos on demand. As they use privacy concerns or stupid rules to hide their evil crap?
Then no negatives are allowed in the state or towns that might hurt the phony images the PR firms and other lying scum put out? I hate to think about what all is going on behind closed doors or what all is kept out of the news or “public consumption.”
ROSIE IF I SAID SOMETHING OUT OF THE WAY YESTERDAY I AM SORRY.
Following.
VA, civilian, doesn’t matter. If this happened in Indiana chances are this news would never be known. Pure fact and can prove that too. Ug, back to horizontal position.
World Class Health care my ASS,….. Butchers, All of them
Ready exercise 1-2-3 fuck VA1 1-2-3 fuck VA2 1-2-3 fuck VA3 1-2-3 fuck VA4 ————————1-2-3 fuck VA22
When is somebody at VHA going to going to use their power to make a valiant attempt to positively address the VETERAN’S HEALTH part of their Administration?
There is something that is in severe error within the system, that is allowing for the killing of VHA patients to be regarded as business at its finest.
When in God’s name, is somebody at VHA going to wake up and take these tragic stories into serious consideration, and answer this obvious question: ‘Why is this even happening?’?
When is somebody at VHA going to realize that when they kill a veteran patient in their care, they are killing someone that is loved by others?
Just how many more innocent families have to suffer a loved one’s passing at the hands of the VHA joyfully singing “Another One Bites The Dust”?
@Ben,
Another important point in the timing of this mismanaged event, is that the health care industry was in the midst of updating billing codes from ICD-9 to ICD-10. I have noticed the recent timing pattern of some of your story subjects and many of your posters, and the revealed issues with their records/care/medications all have appeared to fall within this transition period.
Let me also add that had this happened on the outside, real-world, non-VA first World American Hospital, that $500,000. settlement would have a couple more zeros to left of decimal point. FACT.
I wonder what that settlement amount would have been had that been a VA AFGE Engorged Purple Team Member in a first world American hospital? I’m betting those decimal points would stand corrected on the unfortunate nonhuman test subject’s family payout based solely upon, “[…“At no time did any of his caregivers review his medical records to see that Mr. Beemer was allergic to Ceftriaxone,” said the lawsuit filing….]”
I really think in order to bring more attention to what these assholes are doing to we Veterans, it’s going to take all of us storming and taking-over ALL VA/VHA facilities, holding them and negotiations with SWAT Teams, bringing national attention to the systematic killing of Veterans from American’s attention span of whether that Kardashian is going to spawn again and produce another demon….Veterans?
America is vastly distracted. Thanks again, Mark Zuckerburg…..entitled dick!
“Incompetence” = “VA”
When are we going to hear something good?
#fuckva
#fuckafge
#fuckvsos
No surprise here. The death of this veteran was caused by negligence. Pretty much everything that happens at the VA is caused by negligence. Negligence in checking veterans medical records correctly before administering fatal injections, Negligence in scheduling appointments in a timely manner resulting in huge backlogs of veterans waiting to be seen for healthcare, Negligence in properly processing disability claims resulting in veterans being denied just compensation, Negligence in properly vetting prospective employees resulting in convicted felons having jobs at the VA, Negligence at disciplining/firing of those employees when caught breaking major rules regarding standards of care and conduct, resulting in many veterans being screwed over for a very long period of time before any action is taken.
GADZOOKS! I believe I am beginning to detect a slight pattern . . .
Negligence at recognizing that it is way past time for some real leadership at the VA. Leadership that speaks truth publicly about how bad things have really gotten. Leadership that develops solutions to take better care of ALL our nations warriors.
Leadership that recognizes that when they are doing a good job – – – it will be veterans singing their praises, rather than the VA needing a PR Agency to put out “Fluff Pieces” to mislead America and her citizens about what a stellar job they are doing.
They are not. In fact, they are doing a very piss-poor job. The VA has a first-world budget which they use to provide veterans less than third-world medical care and benefits.
Current VA leadership has their Brain Housing Group the size of mice and their Heart no bigger. It is about FIFTEEN YEARS PAST TIME TO FIX THE DAMN BROKEN VA:
1. IMMEDIATELY recognize the problems inherent in the VA are SYSTEM-WIDE, not just limited to a few locations.
2. Fire all the Lazy No Good Workers. Fire EVERY single AFGE/SES Employee.
3. Sell off all the VA facilities. Alternatively, they may be converted into military barracks-style housing for homeless veterans. This housing will be run with military style rules to promote good order and discipline.
4. Issue all veterans a card that allows them to choose their own doctors within their community that they can TRUST.
5. The United States Government will PAY those doctors promptly (Within 45 days) for the care they provide veterans.
6. ELIMINATE the “Federal Protection” Umbrella for incompetent QUACKS that the VA sends to other states to practice other than their own. Going to practice in XX state? You need to be LICENSED in XX state.
7. Any claim a veteran submits to the VBA that requires more than 90 days to adjudicate, is automatically found to be in favor of the veteran. Should a veteran file a false claim to scam the system, the VA will have to prove in civil court that the claim was falsely submitted. For filing a false claim, the veteran will be subject to ALL of the following:
(A). The claim shall be denied. If the veteran has received any form of benefits because of the false claim they will be required to fully repay the benefits at cost.
(B). The veteran will be banned from all VA facilities for the remainder of their life.
(C). The veteran will lose any benefits they originally have or had, and will not be allowed to file for further benefits.
8. All veterans will be allowed to seek/retain the services of a Veterans Rights Attorney from their first initial contact with the VA. This will help to protect the legal rights of veterans against corrupt and incompetent VA employees.
9. No AFGE, nor any other Labor Union business will be allowed to take place in any Federal Workplace. Conducting Union Business during working hours will be STRICTLY PROHIBITED, and will be STRICTLY ENFORCED. Should any government employee be found violating this provision, it will result in IMMEDIATE LIFETIME DISMISSAL FROM ANY/ALL STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT.
10. Attorneys for appeal will be retained at the former employee’s PERSONAL expense. U. S. Taxpayer’s will not be subject to payment of legal bills for incompetent or dishonest personnel with regards to Governmental Employment.
You have my contact information Mr. President. Call me anytime. I have a lot of ideas to help this nation improve the services provided to my fellow veterans. The ones that were promised but have yet to be delivered upon. Veterans have been waiting for over fifty years for the fulfillment of those promises. I will not hesitate to speak up at all.
For my fellow veterans who have been ill-served by this DERAILED CLUSTERFUCK of an AWFUL TRAIN WRECK CALLED THE VA over the years:
Our battles overseas were far less stressful than our war here at home. Never Cruel or Cowardly. Never Give Up. Never Give In. We are on the Righteous path.
POTUS Reagan broke up PATCO in the ’80’s. Time for POTUS Trump to break up the AFGE. The vast majority of our current Congress Critters DO NOT have Veterans Interests at heart. Perhaps their replacements will. VOTE OUT all these WORTHLESS BASTARDS.
Give their replacement’s one term to take care of Veterans who put aside their own personal lives to answer this nation’s call when she needed them. Many of those Veterans suffer the remainder of their lives for doing what most of their countrymen had not the courage to do.
If they cannot MUSTER THE STONES to do it properly – – – vote their worthless asses out as well. Party should NOT MATTER. What SHOULD MATTER is their VOTING RECORDS ON VETERANS ISSUES.
Rhetoric is cheap. Congressional Voting Records speak louder than words.
NO Combat Veteran should be surprised when the next McVeigh, Congressional Baseball Team, or Las Vegas Sniper Incident occurs. Bound to happen. Just a matter of time . . .
We have now reached the next accelerative phase of our country falling apart. Country before Party. Principles before Personalities. Always.
Want to REALLY fix the VA? The next SecVA needs to be a former Enlisted Man brought in from the general veteran population with a few serious axes to grind against the VA and the AFGE, with zero previous governmental civilian service.
Apparently, Former Flag Officers and SES appointed Civilians can’t cut the mustard to this point in time.
Maybe a SINCERELY MOTIVATED Gunnery Sergeant or Chief Petty Officer CAN.
Disgruntled Veteran
1973 – 1976 USMC
1978 – 1993 USN
Wounded Warrior
Honolulu, Hawaii
This does not surprise me at all. In 2010 a Surgeon at the Mountain Home V.A. In Tennessee. call me at home wanting me to come there immediately at night. Upon my arrival, I was informed that my large colon was in-effected with cancer, and if I did not have immediate surgery to remove 97% of my large colon, I would die. When it was removed, I had a stroke, leaving me unable to walk and unable to use my right arm & leg. I have never had any therapy, and they refused to give a wheelchair so I could leave. My wife stole sheets and drag me out of the hospital to go home. She moved me to the VA in Ann Arbor. Michigan, where they gave me wheelchair, a lift, and a hospital bed, but no physical therapy as of this date!!!
This could have been easily prevented but then, that also would require competent hacks that can also fluently read English language and bother to pay attention in medical school and nursing school…there’s absolutely no excuse that Cashour can trumpet from his anus that will paint this in any other light than malpractice, neglect and torturing of a Veteran.
A fresh Monday morning fuck you, VA! And your little piggies, too!
Nam, I think they just did not listen to the vet, and did not care.
The doctor knew enough to know what kind of medicine to give to treat pneumonia, and likely either didn’t listen or didn’t believe the veteran.
Or, the VA does not have an alternative medicine to give in case of an allergy.
What is truly fucked up is that after the first reaction, he went back and they gave it to him again. What kind of quack bastard would not think of an allergic reaction after giving a patient medicine? So after they give him more and he continues to deteriorate, they just give up?
I think this is a case of where they didn’t have any other medicine to give him, so they just gave him what was authorized.