A former Iraq war veteran was awarded more than $3.5 million in a January after his medical malpractice lawyer proved that he wasn’t given appropriate care at the Wilkes-Barre Veterans Affairs Medical Center. According to local sources like the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, the former plaintiff walked into a pharmacy in Pennsylvania six years ago in an attempt to steal drugs. It had been less than six months since he was told he had post-traumatic stress disorder.
The robbery charges were eventually dropped and the judge agreed that the veteran did not receive the treatment he should have, which lead to the burglary.
“Here, not only did the [U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs] not provide proper PTSD treatment, but they administered a medication that would result in self-medication with an addictive substance,” said the U.S. District judge who presided over the case.
The news source also reported that over the course of four months, the former plaintiff and his spouse attempted to reach out to the hospital on 10 separate occasions, but had no luck. The veteran was never seen by a physician and even given the wrong prescription drugs.
The judge award the former military man $214,582 in lost earnings, $2.1 million for future earnings, $500,000 for pain and suffering, embarrassment and loss of the ability to enjoy everyday life. He was also given $700,000 for future damages.
The former plaintiff was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in 2007.
If you have been injured because of a doctor’s mistake, you may want to consider scheduling a consultation with medical malpractice lawyers in Philadelphia. These experienced and locally based professionals can assess your claim, try your case in court and help you recover damages you may be entitled to.
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