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St. Louis Va Dental Disease Exposure

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gdsnide

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OK I received a letter from the St.Louis VA saying " I may have been exposed to Hepatitis B,Hep C & HIV

Letter said to come in & get a blood test if one wants & "Don't worry" as its no big deal problem as someone wasn't cleaning Dental Tools correcttly & you may have been exposed to these diseases

I was at the VA Hospital today & my Daughter called me & told me about the certified letter I had received & what it said

I had a blood test & they said they would have the results in about 2 weeks

Everyone very reassuring that its very unlikely anyone has anything so stay calm

Find article about this below Not sure what is going on but sounds rather serious to me....Was told I could file a claim or a tort claim on this but guess that depends on the blood tests

Also, we're to be retested in 6 months

Does anyone know if it's possible this stuff won't show up in a blood test & one still has it?.....GARY

Veterans receiving dental care may have been exposed to ...

Jun 29, 2010 ... (KMOV)-- More than 1800 veterans in the St. Louis area may have been exposed to potentially life threatening diseases at the John Cochran VA Hospital. ... The veterans administration is contacting veterans from Missouri ...

www.kmov.com/.../Veterans-receiving-dental-care-may-have-been-exposed-to-potentially-deadly-diseases-97431474.html - 2 hours ago

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"Find article about this below Not sure what is going on but sounds rather serious to me....Was told I could file a claim or a tort claim on this but guess that depends on the blood tests

Also, we're to be retested in 6 months

Does anyone know if it's possible this stuff won't show up in a blood test & one still has it?".....GARY

I think both Hep B and C as well as HIV can lie dormant for YEARS!

Gary do you mean they stated you would have the right, if infected-to file Section 1151, 38 USC claim or a FTCA claim?

Did they state the 2 year SOL for FTCA claims?

That limit is not on 2 years after this news came out- it is on 2 years after a vet becomes aware by diagnosis they have a disability such as HIV ,and Hep, as in this case,and were dental pts within the specific time frame in the letter- but the VA loves to mess around with SOLs (Statute of Limits)if they can manipulate them to their benefit.

"We're" to be re tested ???? did they test your wife too?

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"Find article about this below Not sure what is going on but sounds rather serious to me....Was told I could file a claim or a tort claim on this but guess that depends on the blood tests

Also, we're to be retested in 6 months

Does anyone know if it's possible this stuff won't show up in a blood test & one still has it?".....GARY

I think both Hep B and C as well as HIV can lie dormant for YEARS!

Gary do you mean they stated you would have the right, if infected-to file Section 1151, 38 USC claim or a FTCA claim?

Did they state the 2 year SOL for FTCA claims?

That limit is not on 2 years after this news came out- it is on 2 years after a vet becomes aware by diagnosis they have a disability such as HIV ,and Hep, as in this case,and were dental pts within the specific time frame in the letter- but the VA loves to mess around with SOLs (Statute of Limits)if they can manipulate them to their benefit.

"We're" to be re tested ???? did they test your wife too?

I saw several people down there & the last one I saw was the one who told me I could file a claim & gave me a sheet about Blood Borne Diseases.. Understanding Blood Borns Diseases is what it says

I also received another page that says"Claim for damage,Injury, or death & another one "Financial Compensation after an injury" & another " Financial Compensation after an injury." He stated something to the effect that I could file a "Tort Claim" which is like a "Lawsuit" against the Hospital & is a one shot deal OK..On pamplet it says " I can file a Tort Claim or hire an Attorney to file a Tort or I can file a Benefits Claim" it says in paper work

On my Certified letter it says " Dental Review Call Center will be manned 7 days a week M-F 8 am till 6 pm & Satursdays 8 am - 4 pm

Also, it says " We deeply regret blah blah blah" No one said anything about an 1151 just gave me paper work I noted & also ( Kind of Funny) they gave me the biggest box of condoms I have ever seen & gave me a years Perscription for them ( Well, maybe not funny)

Berta, no my Wife is not schedluded to be tested & no one mentioned anything like this

Sincerly

GARY

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Thanks for clearing that up Gary-I misunderstood your other post-

I was reading in some press releases after the colostomy equipment contamination found at VA some time ago that a vet who had been infected with HEP or HIV from the VA said he had to have protected sex for the rest of his life with his own wife.

I am so glad you got tested right away.

Last night at the SVR show (available in archives at the SVR link up top) Jbasser gave some excellent information on the time frames in which these infections can show up.

Apparently Hep B and C and HIV would show up sooner then later if proper blood work is done.

This whole fiasco is a disgrace- you would think one of the prime lessons learned by dental assistants would be usng proper sterlization techniques.

This didn't happen do to one person's medical error, I think there is more to it then meets the eye.

In cases like this if a vet is found to be infected they are supposed to do an incident report and through that a Section 1151 clain could possibly be filed or inferred by the VA.

I wouldnt depend on them however for anything.

We discussed last night the emotional toll as well as physical damage this incident might have caused to veterans and their families.

If they find they have contracted Hep B or C or HIV and were a dental PT at this hospital during the time frame in the letter-I think they should get a lawyer and sue them.

They can file 1151 too.But the VA only pays once for damages they caused.That is why 1151 claims and FTCA settlements have an offset factor.

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I was wrong last night at SVR- this IS making National News:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/01/us/01vets.html

It would be wonderful if every contacted vet gets screened only to find they do not have HIV or Hepatitis from the VA dental clinic.

Then again just the certified letter alone from the VA is probably enough to cause extreme anxiety and stress in these veterans.

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" Asked why the department waited three and a half months to notify veterans, the spokeswoman, Katie Roberts, said in a statement that it wanted to identify all “who were potentially at risk,” "

Not really,

They are waiting to see how many die before the facts are made public.

And they always are in need of another sensitive issue to cover-up the outcry over an even more sensitive issue.

Identifying who and how many vets are involved is a far cry from treating those vets.

I am absolutely not impressed by the way the VA is trying to dismiss this as a non-issue.

sledge

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I was wrong last night at SVR- this IS making National News:

http://www.nytimes.c.../us/01vets.html

It would be wonderful if every contacted vet gets screened only to find they do not have HIV or Hepatitis from the VA dental clinic.

Then again just the certified letter alone from the VA is probably enough to cause extreme anxiety and stress in these veterans.

Berta,

I was talking to my Son over the net last night 9 He's a lawyer in Phoenix, & he said " There may be some Vets sueing over the Stress & Anxiety Issue even if nothing shows up & the possiblity of a Class action suit" & I told him I didn't think that would fly

What do U think?

Also, I was wondering.. really don't want to pay for one but do you think it may be necessary to also get a Blood Test from an outside source but I don't believe the VA would leave theim selves open to another Major news Story over doing hokey blood teats

Ya, the Certified letter thing threw me for a loop

Sincerly

GARY

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