Opinion ID: 4707703
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: veterans’ medical negligence claims

Text: Before discussing the VJRA, we review how Congress has provided two separate mechanisms by which a veteran may recover for the VA’s medical negligence: (1) filing a tort suit for money damages against the United States pursuant to the FTCA; and (2) filing a disability benefits claim with the VA itself. A. The FTCA: Damages Caused by Medical Negligence of VA Personnel Veterans injured by the negligence of the VA’s medical professionals and their supporting personnel can bring suit against the United States in federal district court for medical negligence under the FTCA, 28 U.S.C. § 1346(b)(1). See United States v. Brown, 348 U.S. 110, 110–13, 75 S. Ct. 141, 142–44 (1954) (concluding that a veteran’s lawsuit for medical negligence at a VA hospital, which was authorized by the FTCA, was not barred by the Feres doctrine); McCullough v. United States, 607 F.3d 1355, 1358 (11th Cir. 2010); see also 38 U.S.C. § 515(a)(1) (“[T]he Secretary may settle a claim for money damages against the United States cognizable under section 1346(b) . . . of title 28 . . . .”). The FTCA provides, in relevant part, that district courts “shall have exclusive jurisdiction of civil actions on claims against the United States for money damages . . . for . . . personal injury or death caused by the negligent or wrongful act or omission of any employee of the Government” under certain circumstances. 28 U.S.C. § 1346(b)(1). Further, as to tort claims related to 20 USCA11 Case: 20-11365 Date Filed: 07/29/2021 Page: 21 of 58 negligence by VA personnel specifically, § 7316(a)(1) of Title 38 provides that the FTCA will provide the remedy for “damages for personal injury, including death, allegedly arising from malpractice or negligence of a health care employee of the [VA] in furnishing health care treatment,” a remedy that is “exclusive of any other civil action or proceeding by reason of the same subject matter.” 38 U.S.C. § 7316(a)(1) (emphasis added). Section 7316(a)(2) goes on to define “health care employee” to mean a “physician, dentist, podiatrist, chiropractor, optometrist, nurse, physician assistant, expanded-function dental auxiliary, pharmacist, or paramedical (such as medical and dental technicians, nursing assistants, and therapists), or other supporting personnel.” Id. § 7316(a)(2). The standards of care that govern medical professionals (which are set forth in the tort law of each state) are incorporated into the FTCA. See Anestis, 749 F.3d at 527. Before filing an FTCA lawsuit, an individual must “have first presented the claim to the appropriate Federal agency and his claim shall have been finally denied by the agency in writing.” 28 U.S.C. § 2675(a); see also 28 C.F.R. § 14.9. This is what Mr. Smith did. He filed what the VA referred to as an “Administrative Tort Claim” in order to exhaust his FTCA claim. And after his claim was denied, the VA’s General Counsel wrote him that if he wished to pursue his claim further, he should file suit “in Federal district court within six months” 21 USCA11 Case: 20-11365 Date Filed: 07/29/2021 Page: 22 of 58 and “should name the United States as the defendant.” This is what Mr. Smith also timely did. B. Section 1151(a): Disability Benefits Resulting from Medical Negligence Separate from seeking money damages for negligence under the FTCA, there is another, independent track for recovery that veterans can pursue simultaneously. A veteran may also seek “[b]enefits” under 38 U.S.C. § 1151(a) for disability or death resulting from negligence on the part of VA medical professionals or occurring in a VA facility. 38 U.S.C. § 1151(a)(1). Section 1151(a)(1) provides, in relevant part, that “[c]ompensation” will be awarded for disability or death “if the disability or death was not the result of the veteran’s willful misconduct” and (1) the disability or death was caused by hospital care, medical or surgical treatment, or examination furnished the veteran . . . and the proximate cause of the disability or death was— (A) carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on the part of the Department in furnishing the hospital care, medical or surgical treatment, or examination . . . . 38 U.S.C. § 1151(a)(1); see also Viegas v. Shinseki, 705 F.3d 1374, 1378 (Fed. Cir. 2013). Any disability or death benefits received pursuant to § 1151(a) must be offset against any money damages a veteran might receive via an FTCA tort suit. 38 U.S.C. § 1151(b). We now turn to the VJRA. 22 USCA11 Case: 20-11365 Date Filed: 07/29/2021 Page: 23 of 58