Veteran's Family Awarded In Excess of $535,000
VETERAN'S FAMILY AWARDED $535,983.45
A U.S. District Court Judge in Gulfport, MS has ordered the United States to pay nearly $536,000 to the family of a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who died of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
After a two day trial that ended Friday, October 1, 2004, the Court found the VA Hospital in Biloxi, MS negligent for failing to expedite a CAT scan that could have resulted in surgery to save the veteran's life. The Judge also found that the VA lost several medical records and failed to follow procedures on forwarding medical reports. "This case exemplifies how poor recordkeeping can negitively impact the quality of care received by patients and the medical outcome experienced by patients," the Court wrote.
Jim R. Reeves and Mark D. Lumpkin represented the veteran's family. "We hope this verdict will ensure that this does not happen to another veteran," said Jim Reeves. "Those who have served their country deserve better."
