Reports reveal a senior medical professional at a VA Medical Center harmed patients over a span of at least 13 years. The provider, Robert Morris Levy, failed to provide adequate care to cancer patients because of his substance abuse. As a result of his negligence, and the lack of quality oversight at the VA in Fayetteville, thousands of patients suffered losses such as misdiagnosis, medical errors, and losses due to delayed treatment.
Lack of Accountability Allows for Decades of Medical Harm at Arkansas VA
As chief of pathology and laboratory medical services at the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks, Levy harmed hundreds through botched diagnoses, falsifying records, and working while under the influence. In 2021, Mr. Levy was sentenced to 20 years in prison for fraud and involuntary manslaughter. The former physician was found to be drunk at work in 2016, but yet continued as the chief of pathology for two more years. In 2019 Levy was arrested on three counts of involuntary manslaughter, 12 counts of wire fraud, 12 counts of mail fraud and four counts of making false statements.
It is difficult to comprehend the losses suffered by veterans due to the negligence of Levy under the leadership of the Veterans Healthcare System of the Ozarks. Three veterans died following a known false diagnosis from Levy. A complete review of 33,902 cases found 3,007 errors or missed diagnoses. The review found an error rate of 8.9 percent, greater than 12 times the standard in pathology practice. At the time of the review, a dozen of the veterans tested who had errors had passed away. The review did not make a conclusion of how many of the deceased veterans died due to a misdiagnosis.
It is likely that many veterans’ lives have been harmed in the pathology department of the Veterans Healthcare System of the Ozarks. Those who have been harmed may seek a legal path for accountability and justice.
How Do I Sue the VA Hospital?
Suing the Arkansas VA Medical Center is no typical medical malpractice claim. Filing a medical malpractice claim against a federally operated hospital has many differences in procedure. Filing a claim against the Arkansas VA Medical Center will require filing a claim with the federal government through the Federal Tort Claims Act. Read this complete guide on how to sue the VA at NationalTrialLaw.com.
If you have questions about how to move forward with a claim, the best thing to do is to reach out to an attorney.
Who Can Sue the Arkansas VA Medical Center?
Patients of Dr. Levy who experienced harm under his care may be entitled to compensation. Direct relatives of patients who died in connection with care at the Arkansas VA may be entitled to compensation. Reach out to an experienced attorney for more information about who can file a claim.
Do not delay – statute of limitations may apply.
Why Hire National Trial Law
National Trial Law leads the nation in top representation for VA hospital cases. Our attorneys are leaders among their peers in FTCA claims, and have won more settlements through the FTCA than any other firm.
The expertise our attorneys hold in filing claims against federal medical facilities spans a national reach, including previous cases in Arkansas. With more than 50 years of history, National Trial Law has the expertise complex personal injury claims require. National Trial Law has repeatedly won record setting judgments on behalf of our military clients. Learn more about the history of our firm.