Lawsuit: Veterans Affairs Has Failed to Prevent Suicides

[Hissyspit]

Source: Associated Press

Lawsuit: Veterans Affairs has failed to prevent suicides

By PAUL ELIAS
Associated Press Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs isn't doing enough to prevent suicide and provide adequate medical care for Americans who have served in the armed forces, a class-action lawsuit that goes to trial this week charges.

The lawsuit, filed in July by two nonprofit groups representing military veterans, accuses the agency of inadequately addressing a "rising tide" of mental health problems, especially post-traumatic stress disorder.

- snip -

An average of 18 military veterans kill themselves each day, and five of them are under VA care when they commit suicide, according to a December e-mail between top VA officials that was filed as part of the federal lawsuit. "That failure to provide care is manifesting itself in an epidemic of suicides," the veterans groups wrote in court papers filed Thursday.

A study released this week by the RAND Corp. estimates that 300,000 U.S. troops - about 20 percent of those deployed - are suffering from depression or post-traumatic stress from serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/V/VETERANS_CARE_LAWSUIT?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

[SpiralHawk]

1. BushCo republicons failing our Veterans. As usual.

The chickenhawk republicons strut around with their flag-lapel pins mouthing platitudes, but when it come to real action or support for our soldiers and veterans, the republicons turn their backs. Every time.

[T_i_B]

2. US veterans sue over 'poor care'

Source: BBC

US veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are suing the government, claiming inadequate care is leading to an increase in suicides. A San Francisco court will hear the class action lawsuit against the Department of Veteran Affairs.

The veterans say the department has been unable to deal with the growing incidence of depression and suicides. But government lawyers argue the department has been devoting more resources to mental health.

In court papers the two non-profit groups representing the veterans write "that failure to provide care is manifesting itself in an epidemic of suicides". "The bottom line is that we're not taking care of the veterans and we need to change that," says lead lawyer, Gordon Erspamer

An average of 18 war veterans kill themselves each day - five of them under Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) care - according to a December e-mail between top department officials that has been filed as part of the federal lawsuit.


Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7357909.stm

[The Wizard]

3. Every veteran who committs suicide

is one less collecting benefits. How else could Paris Hilton get tax relief?
Go ahead, call me cynical.
A note to any veterans reading this: When they deny you your earned benefits don't accept their initial ruling. Keep appealing, write to your representative in Congress, knock on doors, and never give up. The S.O.P. is to make you go away disgusted with the system. If you walk away, they've won.
The fight didn't end when you took off the fatigues, boots and flak jacket.