The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been under intense scrutiny in the past few years. There has been much controversy over the level of care that veterans receive at VA hospitals across the country. Ohio is no exception. The state has paid out more than $8 million in wrongful death claim settlements from 2001to 2012.
In Ohio, there were 34 claims during this time period. Most of the claims came from the Dayton and Cleveland VA hospitals, while hospitals in Chillicothe and Columbus had two each. These claims were brought about due to medical malpractice. In many cases, doctors failed to treat patients' conditions or misdiagnosed them altogether.
Although $8 million is a large amount of money, that amount pales in comparison to the $200 million spent on wrongful death settlements across the entire United States during the 2001to 2012 time period. This concerning issue has now made its way to the White House, with President Obama recently speaking out about the scandals and other issues.
The agency is now conducting periodic audits on the hospitals in the wake of controversies over dishonest scheduling practices. Many veterans have complained about the length of time it takes to schedule an appointment. The Cincinnati hospital in particular is expected to undergo another review soon.
Medical malpractice is a common reason to file a wrongful death lawsuit. If it can be proven that negligence caused by a doctor or hospital led to a patient's death, then the surviving family members may be able to receive compensation for damages. Damages may include medical bills, lost wages, funeral expenses and even pain and suffering.
Source: Lancaster Eagle Gazette, "Ohio VA has paid $8M for wrongful deaths," James Pilcher, June 27, 2014
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