Boise City, ID Negligent Medical Care Leading to Suicide
The Department of Defense (DoD) has increased its efforts toward suicide prevention among veterans and active duty military, but data indicates that there is still far to go with mental health support. According to the Department of Defense Suicide Prevention Office, there has been a significant increase in the number of personnel who have taken their own lives. From 2015 to 2020, the suicide rate went from 20.3 to 28.7 per 100,000 active service members. It is difficult to comprehend the grief for surviving family members, but they will also start to feel financial strains after losing a loved one.
Fortunately, there are remedies when negligent medical care leads to suicide. You may be eligible for compensation for your devastating losses, and our attorneys at Bertling Law Group will pursue all available options. Please contact us to schedule a free consultation with a Boise City, ID military medical malpractice lawyer who can explain how the process works. It is also helpful to review some background information about your rights.
Liability for Suicide from Medical Negligence
Preventable suicide is a type of medical malpractice case, so there are certain elements you need to establish to qualify for compensation:
- You must have proof that the deceased individual was being treated by a VA or military physician, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, or other mental health professional.
- You need to show that the health care provider was acting within the scope of his or her duties when delivering treatment.
- There must be evidence that the physician knew or should have known that the patient was at risk, but the practitioner failed to take proper steps to prevent suicide.
- The failure to prevent suicide was the direct result of this negligence, and you suffered losses as a result.
When medical negligence leading to suicide affects the family of a veteran, their remedies fall under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA). Cases involving active duty members of the military must go through the proper process under the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). With both laws, monetary damages are generally the same. You may be entitled to amounts for funeral costs, pain and suffering, lost financial contributions, and many other losses.
Overview of the NDAA/FTCA Process
Bertling Law Group will handle all tasks required for these claims, which must go through the administrative process. The Secretary of Defense can authorize NDAA claims up to $100,000, but the Secretary of the Treasury must review those for higher amounts. Decisions on NDAA claims are final.
Our Boise City, ID military medical malpractice lawyers will guide you through the FTCA claims process and attempt to reach settlement. However, we are ready to take your case to court as necessary to obtain fair compensation.
A Boise City, IDMilitary Medical Malpractice Attorney is Prepared for Challenges
To learn more about your options after negligent medical care leads to suicide, please contact Bertling Law Group at 844-25-7558 or via our website. We can set up a complimentary case evaluation to learn more about your situation and let you know what to expect through the legal process.
