Veteran files medical malpractice suit against VA hospital

Every day in Maryland and elsewhere, countless numbers of people trust doctors with their health and lives. That is a reasonable assumption, as physicians and other health care professionals have a sworn duty to provide safe, accurate and ethical medical treatment for their patients. However, that does not always happen, and sometimes medical malpractice occurs as a result.

An out-of-state veteran has filed suit against a Veterans Affairs hospital for $50 million. The veteran is currently dying of prostate cancer. He apparently tried for one year to book an appointment at the hospital but was repeatedly denied any access to medical care. When he finally got an appointment, the health practitioner who saw him allegedly provided him with negligent care that resulted in both the delayed diagnosis as well as the delayed treatment of his prostate cancer.

If the veteran obtained an appointment, the hospital would then schedule it for months later and repeatedly canceled the appointment, which caused him to have to reschedule again. When the man was seen by a nurse practitioner in Dec. 2011, an abnormality was discovered in his prostate.Allegedly, the nurse practitioner did not order additional testing, schedule a follow-up or give him a referral to a specialist. His symptoms worsened, and a year later he was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer, which is incurable and terminal.

The man alleges that, had the VA hospital done its job, his disease could have been curable. A medical professional or the care facility he or she is employed by can be held liable for medical malpractice that was due to improper treatment, a flawed diagnosis or even the treatment of a patient without receiving the proper permission. Successfully navigated, the claim may result in an award for financial relief that may help with the cost of medical bills, lost wages or, in the event of the patient’s death, funeral costs and related monetary damage. An experienced Maryland attorney is typically consulted to assess whether a medical malpractice claim is appropriate under the circumstances.

Source: azfamily.com, “Dying veteran’s medical malpractice case against VA starts Monday”, Catherine Holland, Feb. 27, 2017