While the VA strives to provide veterans with quality medical care for their injuries and illnesses, the Administration does not always live up to this ideal. Over a ten-year period, recent reporting in Dayton uncovered that the VA paid out nearly $850 million in compensation to settle approximately 4,400 malpractice claims.
Every malpractice claim against the VA is different, but as with any healthcare practice, there are trends among all of these claims. This includes common allegations of malpractice that appear to surface more frequently than others. While these common malpractice claims are not the only ones you can bring against the VA, they are illustrative of the sort of mistakes that can occur and cause significant, even irreparable harm, to you.
Three of the Most Common Malpractice Claims Against the VA
Malpractice occurs when a surgeon, doctor, or nurse renders care to you or your loved one that a reasonable professional in similar circumstances would not have given to you. Not all errors or negative outcomes are the result of malpractice, but acts of malpractice must result in some harm to you or your loved one to be eligible for compensation.
Three common examples of malpractice at Ohio VA facilities include:
Failure to Diagnose
If your doctor does not run appropriate medical tests or does not interpret them correctly, they can miss diagnosing you with conditions or illnesses that need treatment. A delay in diagnosing certain conditions can jeopardize your quality of life and reduce your chances of recovery.
Medication Errors
Prescription medication is an essential part of your recovery, helping you to stave off illness and manage pain. Your doctor or pharmacist can make a mistake by prescribing the wrong medication for your condition or dispensing the incorrect medicine. Malpractice can also occur if your medical team fails to consider possible negative interactions a new medicine might have with your existing medication.
Surgical Complications
Even routine outpatient procedures can present opportunities for mistakes and errors to happen. Common errors in the operating room include surgeons who operate on the incorrect body part. For example, your surgeon may need to repair your right shoulder but operates instead on the left shoulder by mistake. Failing to monitor your vital signs during the procedure if you have been given anesthesia can also lead to serious complications.
What to Do If You Suspect the VA Committed Malpractice
One of the first questions to answer if you have been hurt while at a VA facility is whether the care you received qualifies as malpractice. To make this determination, reach out to the Ohio VA tort claims law firm Veterans Law Attorneys. We can evaluate your situation, advise you if you might be the victim of VA malpractice and, if so, what steps you can take to receive compensation.
Call us at 833-753-5168 or visit us online and schedule a consultation with our experienced team. We are available to assist veterans and their families in Cincinnati and throughout Ohio.
