PROTECTING THE LEGAL INTERESTS OF INJURED HAWAII RESIDENTS AND VISITORS SINCE 1973

VA medical malpractice payouts come from U.S. Treasury

On Behalf of | Dec 5, 2014 | Medical Malpractice |

Veterans are an integral part of American society. No matter what side of the political spectrum, most people feel and express gratitude for the sacrifices made by veterans. However, there are many veterans who may be suffering from physical ailments. Many times, these ailments may have been caused by medical malpractice in Hawaii or any other state.

Luckily, infrastructure and various programs exist in order to help pay for damages caused by medical malpractice occurring at a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital location. Most people may assume that the funds paid out to veterans for medical malpractice lawsuits comes from the VA funds. However, they may be surprised to find out exactly from where the money is coming.

Thousands of veterans have received payouts as a result of medical malpractice claims. However, it turns out that, instead of coming directly from the VA, the funds are being paid out from the U.S. Treasury. This accounts for nearly $1 billion in payouts to veterans claiming to have suffered damages resulting from medical malpractice. Some lawmakers are arguing that this points to issues of accountability within the VA.

On the other hand, these accountability issues do not affect whether a veteran is justly deserving of reimbursement for medical malpractice committed in a VA hospital in Hawaii or in any other state. Both veterans and non-veterans deserve to be compensated if a doctor, or any other medical staff member, makes a mistake that causes physical injury or harm. If negotiations do not produce a settlement, it may be necessary to bring the case to court in many instances.

Source: CBS Los Angeles, “Near $1B In Medical Malpractice Payouts To Veterans Paid By Federal Funds, Not VA“, Nov. 24, 2014

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