Misblog

This morning a class-action medical malpractice lawsuit, Veterans for Common Sense v United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) (Case Number 3:2007cv03758) gets underway in Judge Samuel Conti's courtroom, United States District, Northern District of California.

The lawsuit accuses the VA of neglecting our veterans' mental health—it’s a shameful indictment that our veterans are required to sue in order to receive adequate mental healthcare!

Web:

• UPDATED 04/25/2008 SFGate, Attorney leading suit a veteran in battling VA.

  --"We monitor outcomes and satisfaction of our patients, and they report very high numbers... "We have all kinds of performance standards that show that we meet the expectations of our patients."--SFGate, quoting VA testimony--

• UPDATED 04/24/2008 SFGate, Attorney leading suit a veteran in battling VA.

  --"If you add up the veterans' suicides among those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and compare it to the total combat deaths, the veteran suicides are higher...an average of 18 vets a day are committing suicide."--SFGate--

• UPDATED 04/22/2008 SeattlePi, Murray says VA's top mental health official should resign.

  --"Dr. Katz's irresponsible actions have been a disservice to our veterans and it is time for him to go ... The number one priority of the VA should be caring for our veterans, not covering up the truth."--AP reporter, Matthew Daly quoting Senator Patty Murray--

• UPDATED 04/22/2008 NYT, Talking Veterans Down From Despair.

  "Today we’re not thinking about the alcohol or the housing, Robert. Today it’s about keeping you safe.”--Veterans hot line crisis counselor, Nancy Nosewicz--

• UPDATED 04/22/2008 SFGate, VA stalling on care, judge told at S.F. trial
• NYT, In Federal Suit, 2 Views of Veterans’ Health Care
• US veterans sue over 'poor care'

Res:

• Rand Center for Military Health Policy Research:

  • Invisible Wounds of War: Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery (3M pdf). Project co-directors and editors Terri Tanielian and Lisa H. Jaycox
  • Invisible Wounds of War: Summary and Recommendations for Addressing Psychological and Cognitive Injuries (.5M pdf). Project co-directors and Lisa H. Jaycox and Terry L. Schell, et. al
  • Post Deployment Stress: What You Should Know, What You Can Do (.5M pdf)
  • Post Deployment Stress: What Families Should Know, What Families Can Do (.5M pdf)