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Defendant Name, Crime, State Year
The Veterans Administration, in a shocking medical malpractice case, was cleared of any wrongdoing in the death of a 71-year-old Navy veteran. The shocking crime took place at the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane, Washington in 2017.
According to court documents, Steven Wright, a Navy veteran, presented himself to the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center a week after falling at home and injuring his knee and ankle. Wright was examined by doctors and underwent imaging to rule out further injury or the presence of a blood clot. After reviewing the results, Wright was discharged from the medical center.
However, things took a tragic turn when Wright, who had refused transport assistance, left the medical center on his own and fell outside on the pavement, suffering minor scrapes to his head. Emergency assistance was provided, and Wright was brought back into the Emergency Department for further evaluation and treatment.
Despite the efforts of the medical team, Wright was found deceased the following morning at his home, purportedly due to an internal head injury. His children and Estate sued the Veterans Administration, claiming that the emergency department physician should have ordered a CT scan of Wright’s head injury when he was brought back to the Emergency Department and should have admitted him for overnight observation.
However, in a stunning verdict, Chief Judge Thomas O. Rice ruled that the Plaintiffs could not prove the VA nurses owed a duty to insist that Wright be transported, and even if such duty existed, the VA nurses did not breach that duty or any of the alleged duties.
The case against the Veterans Administration was dismissed, but the case against the independently-contracted-physician was remanded to state court. The case was defended by Rudy J. Verschoor and Joseph P. Derrig, Assistant United States Attorneys in the Civil Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington.
The shocking crime highlights the complexities of medical malpractice cases and the importance of having competent medical expert testimony to support any medical negligence claim. The case has left many wondering if the system is truly working in favor of those seeking justice.
Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Category: Medical Malpractice
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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