A recent report released by a U.S. Senator has revealed that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) paid hundreds of millions of dollars in wrongful death settlements to more than 1,000 families from 2001 to 2011.
The VA has been under fire after it was discovered that some VA medical centers had doctored records to hide the fact that patients were enduring exceedingly long waits to receive medical care. Those waits resulted in the deaths of an untold number of patients. In May, the head of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Eric Shinseki, resigned due to the scandal.
The report, titled “Friendly Fire: Death Delay, and Dismay at the VA,” offered a scathing indictment of the system and the lack of supervision from Congress.
The report says that honest employees who tried to do the right thing and refused to cook the books to assist with cover-ups were often punished with pay cuts, transfers, and poor reviews. The report claims that many patients with a legitimate claim against the VA and the government are reluctant to sue since the process can be long and drawn-out.
Senator Tom Colburn, who revealed the report, said that it points out that problems at the VA are worse than anyone imagined. “The scope of the VA’s incompetence — and Congress’ indifferent oversight — is breathtaking and disturbing,” he stated.
If you believe that someone you love has died as the result of the negligence of another party, you have a legal right to file a wrongful death lawsuit against that party. Wrongful death lawsuits can be complicated; that is why you need a law firm like the Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers in San Diego on your side. Our dedicated and experienced wrongful death lawsuit attorneys will work aggressively for you so that the parties responsible for a wrongful death are held accountable for their actions.
Call us toll-free at (888) 233-5020 or contact us online to schedule an appointment to learn about your legal rights today.
