Brockton VA Caught In Potential Legionnaires’ Disease Cover-Up

Brockton VA

Benjamin KrauseVeterans are coming forward after learning Brockton VA was engaged in a potential cover-up a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak.

Legionnaires’ was first believed present on October 14, 2014 and thought connected with forms of water therapy at Building 23. This building includes a pool, gym and locker room used by hundreds of veterans on a regular basis.

On October 23, 2014, VA confirmed that Legionnaires’ disease made at least one veteran sick and closed Building 23. However, VA failed to inform veterans of their potential exposure to the disease. Symptoms of the disease include fever, chills, muscle aches and related that could lead to death. The disease is spread by breathing in mist or vapor.

Veteran Richard Hand was shocked when he found out last week about the Legionnaires’ problem, almost three months after the outbreak was confirmed. “ They should have told everybody immediately.” Hand, a Marine Corps veteran, continued, “Nobody said anything to anybody. My concern is, what if you felt sick?”

Apparently, VA was certainly not concerned about keeping veterans informed of the problem. Instead, it hoped no one would come forward with symptoms or die while it tried to cover-up the problem.

Let’s not forget the huge Pittsburg cover-up of the disease that killed or harmed approximately 20 veterans just three years ago. VA got caught in the cover-up and it took years for the problems to unwind through a toothless OIG investigation.

When will these jokers learn that veterans must be informed about such things as deadly outbreaks of Legionnaires’?

Source: https://www.wcvb.com/news/veterans-not-notified-about-legionnaires-disease-at-brockton-va-facility/30810074

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11 Comments

  1. I wrote three times to:
    Department of Veterans Affairs
    Compensation & Pension Service
    Attn: Nehmer Working Group (211A)
    810 Vermont Ave NW
    Washington DC 20420.
    I paid for the delivery receipt / return receipt requested… for each. Yet, For the third time, I have to go to the post office to get photo copies of receiver’s signature. I haven’t had a direct reply from the Nehmer Working Group
    The Buffalo DVA June 05, 2014 decision included The Buffalo DVA’s Examiner diagnosed my ischemic heart disease to as early as 2000. The Nehmer Court Order States that the DVA has to pay retro compensation within 21 days. Today is 1-21-2015. Instead of payment, as required by The Court Order, my claim was sent to the Board of Veterans Appeals; docket back-logged to 2012 .My claim was denied as late as December 2013 because the Buffalo DVA cpouldn’t find of their INTRANET my service in Vietnam exposed to herbicides. Yet, January 2010 ( Note: Jan. 2010) The DVA Compensation & Pension Bulletin Policy (note: 211) provides the crew of the USS Newport News CA-148 to be on THE DVA SHIP’s LIST for operations in “rivers” and “deltas” : the history of the USS Newport News CA-148 includes operations in the Vinh Binh Province in the Mekong “DELTA”; And, the June 2010 Compensation & Pension Bulletin Policy (note: 211)- received by Senate Committee- ships list, lists the USS Newport NEWS CA- 148 for operation(s) Cua Viet “RIVER” April 1969. The Nehmer Working Group (211A) needs to be investigated. The US Post Office at 20420 also needs investigated !

    1. Robert,

      I agree with you that the Nehmer Group needs to be investigated. My husband and another Vietnam Veteran have had the same thing happen to them. We received two letters, one from Nehmer and one from Huntington, WV, VA and they both stated my husband was entitled to retro pay because he does have ICH. The other veteran was a purple heart recipient and sadly he passed away. However, his wife has not been able to get his retro from Nehmer or his money from the VA.

      Carolyn

    1. Is firing and re-assigning the same thing. I am sure he will appear somewhere else in the wonderful VA (yes sarcasm on the wonderful part). I do agree he should be fired; however, I am not holding my breath and I will gladly say I was wrong when he does get fired.

    2. Good one. Supposedly been blurted out somewhere, instead of years or never. It has to be done in 28 days. Some new legislation as promise by Secretary McDonald.
      Even if booted out, don’t leave the Federal system,quick resignation and off to the Treasury Department where the real money is, like the ladt2 directors

  2. Usual VA coverup and non communication. The VA is famous for “We’ll get back to you” when lodging any compliant I have a guy at central office who I heard this from about 3 weeks ago and the patient advocate who claimed my cot or would call me sure “When the cows come home”!! That is how they get back to you, discourage you and then they wonder why your upset, why your angry and then tell you your manic and want to put you in a ward and label you !!

    Ever wonder why when the federal governments regulation states ” A person should be put in least restrictive environment for his or her disability” MY question is why do the VAMC have only locked mental health wards to put all vets in ?? Maybe Ben can answer this as hospitals have locked an unlocked mental ward??!

    Lee Horowitz, M.Ed, CAGS
    US Navy -Disabled Vietnam Era Veteran

  3. WOW, another cover-up from the VA and no one is surprised. When will something be done, actually done to the VA so that us vets will be treated right. We deserve to be treated fairly and correctly not treated worse than people on welfare. When will we be able to do something about their gross neglect, malpractice, and gaming the system. Answer, NEVER. This so called VA HealthCare system is so broken it needs to be destroyed, rebuilt from the ground up and everyone who is associated with the current VA should NEVER be allowed into the new system. It need to be taken away from the govt. and owned by the vets. That would shake everything up and we would finally get the best care in the world. Just my opinion on this thing they call the VA HealthCare System that is failing so many of us and no one that can do something cares about actually doing something. As long as they are getting their huge amounts of $$$ nothing will ever be done and we will continue to die in their hand and by their hands and things will continue to be covered up. We mean nothing to this govt., to the VA, to the citizens, we are guinea pigs and are expendable. Nothing more.

    1. This is the fox guarding the hen house trick !Good pay no work !Student docs practice on vets and learn to lie about the cause and outcome ! NAM VET ((combat) Had to fight VA 26 yrs

      1. Robert, sorry you had to fight the VA for 26 yrs. I have been fighting them for 30 yrs. now so I know how you feel. I like your comment and it fits. When will we be able to get a fair deal? We just want our concerns and problems to be taken care of so we can get out and have a life and the VA is dead set against that. They want us to keep coming back so they can practice on us. And we can do nothing about it other than try a different HealthCare. I really dislike the VA.

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