Phoenix, AZ Personal Injury Lawyer at Israel & Gerity, PLLC, Comments on Recent Veterans Administration Scandal in Arizona
Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) June 20, 2014 -- Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs Sloan Gibson said at least 18 veterans died while waiting for months for medical appointments with the Phoenix Veterans Administration Health Care System, according to recent news reports. Phoenix personal injury lawyer Kyle A. Israel of Israel & Gerity, PLLC said today he understands how devastated the families must feel.
Israel expressed his comments in response to a June 5 article published by the Arizona Republic about the on-going scandal involving the Veterans Administration reportedly falsifying records.
“This on-going news story continues to be one of the most upsetting and disturbing chapters in Phoenix history,” Israel said. “Veterans and their families put their trust in the Veterans Administration to receive life-saving health care treatment. Instead, that trust was violated. As a result, these veterans who honorably served our country died waiting to receive medical treatment. I believe these families should do whatever it takes to hold the VA accountable for its inexcusable actions.”
Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs Sloan Gibson spoke on June 5 in Phoenix about the on-going records scandal involving the Phoenix VA Health Care System. According to Gibson, 18 veterans died while waiting for appointments with the Phoenix VA Health Care System, according to the Arizona Republic.
The 18 veterans who died were among the 1,700 veterans placed on so-called "secret lists" that listed the real wait time for veterans to receive medical treatment at the Phoenix VA hospital, according to the Arizona Republic. A second, bogus list was created by the Phoenix VA hospital which indicated that the patients had been contacted and treated by the VA within a timely manner, according to the Arizona Republic.
Gibson replaced Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki, who resigned May 30 in response to the scandal which now encompasses many Veterans Administration hospitals throughout the country that reportedly created similar secret lists and falsified records to conceal long wait times, according to a May 30 report in The New York Times.
Reports about veterans waiting months to receive medical treatment or not receiving treatment at all have become commonplace in recent years, Israel said.
“I wish I could say we’re surprised, but the sad truth is many veterans often don’t receive the medical care they rightfully deserve,” Israel said. “We know because our office has worked with many families reeling from the loss of a loved one with serious medical issues who was not being treated in a timely manner. People don’t want excuses after such a traumatic event. They want results. That’s why we work so hard on every case. We believe actions have consequences.”
The Arizona Republic article cited is “Acting VA Secretary Gibson says 18 vets on Phoenix wait list died.”
The New York Times article cited is “V.A. Chief Resigns in Face of Furor on Delayed Care.”
About Israel & Gerity, PLLC
Attorney Kyle A. Israel obtained his degree from the Arizona State University College of Law and has practiced law in Arizona since 1994. In addition to handling cases involving car and truck accidents, Israel & Gerity’s legal practice focuses on helping victims of construction accidents, construction defects, lithium toxicity, dog bites and nursing home negligence. Attorney Israel was anonymously selected by his peers into the first class of Arizona’s Finest Lawyers, an honor reserved for 2% of lawyers across the state, and has received nearly 100% favorable verdicts in the cases he has tried to verdict.
For more information about what to do after a wrongful death in Arizona and the legal options available to Arizona families, call (888) 900-3667 or complete the online contact form.
Israel & Gerity, PLLC
3300 N. Central Ave #2000
Phoenix, AZ 85012
(602) 274-4400
http://www.ig-law.com/
Jacob M Del Hagen, Big Voodoo Interactive, http://www.bigvoodoo.com, +1 (413) 650-0593, [email protected]
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