A recent report by CNN announced hundreds of thousands of veterans listed in the Department of Veterans Affairs enrollment system died before their applications for care were processed.
Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo Plotkin & Hellman LLP, is currently handling many cases against the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). We have experience with the Federal Tort Claims Act and can help you recover for your injuries against the VA.
The VA’s inspector general found that out of roughly 800,000 records stalled in the agency’s health care system, more than 307,000 records belonged to veterans who had died months or years earlier. The inspector general added that due to limitations in the system’s data, the number of records did not necessarily represent veterans actively seeking enrollment in VA health care. Other issues include VA staffers incorrectly marking unprocessed applications and the deletion of 10,000 or more records in the last five years.
One veteran who applied for VA care in 1998 was placed in “pending” status for 14 years. Another veteran who passed away in 1988 was found to have an unprocessed record lingering in 2014, the investigation found.
CNN investigated two deaths at VA facilities in South Carolina and Georgia. They discovered an internal VA investigation in 2010, which found staffers had hidden veterans’ applications in their desks so they could process them later, but human resources recommended the staffers responsible not be disciplined.
Thousands of veterans who have returned from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan have not received care because of the enormous backlog. Many of these veterans have since lost their five-year eligibility for care due to the delay.
In regards to these issues with the VA’s enrollment system, Rep. Jeff Miller, a Florida Republican and chairman of the House VA Committee, said “(This) troubling news highlights VA’s ongoing mismanagement and calls into question VA’s ability to adequately care for our nation’s veterans.”
You can find the full CNN article Here.
If you or someone you know was injured by actions of the VA, Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo Plotkin & Hellman LLP.
We can protect your legal rights when another party’s negligence put you in harm’s way. Contact us online or by telephone at (212) 684-1880 to speak with an experienced New York Federal Tort Claims Act lawyer.
