Lifetime medical care is one of the benefits the veterans who have defended this country are entitled to due to their service. Each state, including Oregon, has numerous VA hospitals. One would hope that the medical care offered to veterans at these facilities is of the highest quality; however, sometimes it is not. More than a hundred veterans that visited a VA hospital in another state have been notified that they were the victims of medical malpractice.
Notices sent out by the VA informed patients that the services provided by a VA podiatrist did not meet the standards set for medical care. Between 2009 and 2016 the doctor performed unnecessary surgeries and followed improper surgical practices. As a result, many of his patients had unimproved or worsened medical conditions.
A 70-year-old Vietnam veteran was told by the doctor that he needed surgery to replace a torn tendon in his foot. Following surgery, the patient continued to struggle with pain. Six years later he was informed by the VA that the surgery he suffered through was unnecessary because his problem could have been remedied with therapy. He was shown evidence that the doctor had not only not replaced his tendon, but also he actually cut the patient open and damaged the tendon before sewing the patients shut again.
The VA advised the victims to take legal action against the doctor that had wronged them; however, what they soon learned was that there was a two year statute of limitations that had already passed. They have now requested that a judge issue an order to revoke the statute of limitations due to allegations that the VA hid the doctor’s malpractice until the statute of limitations had passed. There are currently 13 veterans listed on the class action complaint against the doctor, but 44 victims have been identified as negatively impacted by the doctor’s actions.
Many of the podiatrist’s victims suffered for years before finding the reason for their deteriorated medical condition. Anyone who suspects he or she may be a victim of medical malpractice should not delay seeking a second medical opinion as well as the advice of an experienced attorney. An attorney familiar with Oregon’s medical malpractice laws can provide invaluable guidance in seeking compensation for the victim’s suffering.