Veteran Medical Malpractice Complaints Extend to Psychiatric Wards

Hampton Roads, VAVeteran medical malpractice and mistreatment concerns extend into psychiatric units at Veterans Affairs hospitals. In some cases, the care of patients in psychiatric units is worse than in other units, resulting in more lawsuits filed against VA hospitals claiming doctors and medical staff are negligent in their treatment of veterans.

A recent article in the Daily Press gave the examples of two veterans who admitted themselves to the psychiatric unit of a local VA medical center for help but were not properly treated. In one case, a 63-year-old veteran went to the psychiatric unit of the hospital with depression. He developed shortness of breath and a doctor prescribed an anti-anxiety medication. The veteran died with a blood clot in his lungs.

The other veteran was a 35-year-old who wanted to beat a drug addition. The man had back pain but his complaints were ignored by hospital staff who believed the man was just trying to get drugs. The man died of a drug overdose, possibly caused by trying to self-medicate for his back pain. According to the article, the men's deaths are "part of a pattern of mental health patients not receiving treatment - or receiving the wrong treatment - for physical problems."

As an example of lack of care, one doctor told the Daily Press that a patient's vital signs (temperature, blood pressure and pulse) should be taken at least once a day. One of the veterans--who was in the unit for 13 days--only had his vital signs taken five times. Despite complaining of a shortness of breath, his oxygen saturation levels were not taken until the last few hours before he died.

Meanwhile, the widow of a 55-year-old veteran has filed a wrongful death suit against two VA centers that treated her husband. The woman took her husband to the center with a temperature of 92.8 degrees Fahrenheit, a temperature lower than what is normally considered hypothermia. Despite this, the veteran received no care for four hours. When he was finally admitted to the center, he was placed on a psychiatric floor and given no care. His condition deteriorated to the point that his body temperature was "unrecordable," but still his treatment was delayed.

While in VA care the veteran fell four times while unsupervised and fractured his hip. According to the lawsuit, he was then transferred between the Durham and Salisbury centers five times without the family knowing. When his potassium levels registered higher than normal, a physician gave orders for the veteran to be given medication to lower his potassium level; however, he never received the medication. The man suffered a severe heart attack on August 18—he never recovered and passed away soon after.

If you or a loved one has been harmed by negligent care while in VA care, speak to a lawyer to discuss your options.