Arizona Veteran Battling Cancer Files Medical Negligence Lawsuit

An Arizona veteran is suing the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and his local VA medical center for medical negligence.

Documents filed in court indicate that the veteran served 18 years in the U.S. Army. The veteran was honorably discharged from the Army in 2007. He subsequently developed health issues and was unable to access medical care until December 2011.

For more than a year, the man tried to access medical care, but was repeatedly denied. He is now dying of prostate cancer. He was seen by a nurse practitioner who indicated he had an abnormality in his prostate. No further testing, referral to a specialist or other follow-up was ordered. Allegedly the veteran was told there was nothing he could or should do about the abnormal exam and that he was not to worry about it.

It was not until December 2011 that the veteran was able to obtain an appointment with the doctor. By this time, the man was told that he was terminal and that he needed to seek care in a hospice. The veteran opted to see a private doctor and had surgery that left him with serious problems and various permanent injuries. The lawsuit alleges none of these things would have happened had the VA performed medical care according to its mandate in a timely and professional manner.

Lawsuits such as this take a long time to be resolved. Plaintiffs still have bills that need to be paid, but finances may be tight. When finances are an issue, litigation funding, also referred to as a “lawsuit loan,” may be the solution.

Pre-settlement funding is a cash advance of the amount expected of the settlement when the case is resolved. Its primary purpose is helping plaintiffs with loss of wages, exorbitant medical bills, monthly household expenses and other out-of-pocket bills. Litigation funding is not a bank loan and may be obtained without verifying employment or running a credit check. The collateral used when applying for a “lawsuit loan” is the pending lawsuit itself.

Litigation funding is a valuable and viable alternative for cash strapped plaintiffs needing funds until their case has been resolved.
