The family of a troubled 49 year old Marine brought a lawsuit against the VA psychiatric clinic where he was treated just prior to committing suicide.
The Veteran, who had served in Beirut and Grenada, suffered from depression. He had been on a variety of medications over the years, and recently had stopped his medications due to adverse side effects.
The Marine presented himself to urgent care, complaining of suicidal ideation and feelings of being overwhelmed. Approximately 30 minutes after arriving and only ten minutes after the attending physician signed the admission history and physical, the discharge process was begun. Mere hours after being discharged, the veteran hung himself in his home while his family slept.
The Plaintiff argued that the decision to discharge the decedent could not have been made responsibly due to the brief nature of the doctor's encounter with him. Furthermore, the Plaintiff claimed that this negligent psychological care on the part of the VA directly resulted in his death.
The lawsuit was settled prior to trial for $600,000.00.
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