kay2009

[Kay2009]

I have never felt I had my late husbands complete medical records.  I want to see things like why did

his Simvastatin quit showing up on his medication list, the instructions, settings and how many hours to use his CPAP,

why shouldn't he take benzo's and then he was.  I asked for every page, every note, etc..    C file does not have any of his medical records 

in it.  So, my question is, if I feel there is more information after many requests, should I use FOIA to ask for them?

Thank you for your time.

 

I would like to clarify that I have sent the proper forms (5X) to the facilities and gone through the Congress women.

The Congress women had them call me and the facility told me that not all Doctors take notes, so there was nothing more to see.

 

Edited August 7, 2018 by Kay2009
Just want to let people kow I have sent forms previously

[kanewnut]

26 minutes ago, Kay2009 said:

So, my question is, if I feel there is more information after many requests, should I use FOIA to ask for them?

I think you need to request his medical records from the facilities that he was treated at. When I have requested mine I had to go to ROI(release of information) and show my ID and sign for them. I imagine you will have to show proper authorization to get his also. Hopefully Berta will add to this. She may have had to go through this.

[Berta]

I did- you are right- the request should be made at the VAMC (s)that treated the veteran.

Using this form should do it:

https://www.va.gov/vaforms/va/pdf/VA3288.pdf

FOIA should the Last resort- and adds considerable time to a simple records request.

My local VAMC had a short form for me to fill out- maybe a little different then this- at the Record Access Officer's office.

I did have to prove I was the surviving spouse of the veteran-I think they just checked my deceased husand's claims-but for the Nehmer AO claim I had to provide them with probate info.

I was concerned when my husband suddenly died. A nurse had screamed at him when he tried to look at his med file after we waited for hours for his VA  regular check up. She told him he was not allowed to0 see his own file.I didn't know if I would get the medical records after he died.

With them and his autopsy I proved the VA caused his death.

Simvastatin might have helped save his life. It is a horrendous thing to wonder about the death of any veteran.

It is even more horrible to have it in VA's own words that they killed him- (words to that affect-), he should be here at hadit with me.

 

 

 

[Berta]

13 hours ago, Kay2009 said:

The Congress women had them call me and the facility told me that not all Doctors take notes, so there was nothing more to see.

That might be the truth.

Why doctors do or do not do  medical things  r make specific notations  is not always evident in medical records.

As I might have mentioned -multiple VA doctors at two VAMCs did not give my husband proper medical care.

I had to figure out what they (VA)did not do and should have done, medically from his VA medical records and they had many opportunities over a 6 year period to correct the past medical errors.

There were no Independent Medical Opinions doctors available in those days- I had to do it all myself.

I had to study 6 years of handwritten records and decifer them, learn what medical acronyms meant, learn what the blood chem reports and MRIs revealed ,what the ECHO meant,  and learn what the autopsy slides really meant...I studied Cardio and Neuro stuff, and then years later I studied DMII. I prepared an assessment regarding my husband's medical

records that took my case step by step ,as to how the VA committed a "failure to diagnose and treat":

FTCA settlement with USA  for malpractice on:

Ischemic heart disease

Multiple TIAs, 

Major catastrophic stroke,

Section 1151 award  for all of above, causing his wrongful death

Additional award for malpracticed AO Diabete Mellitus ,  as a direct SC award,contributing to his death

Most recent award ( 2 decades after he died) for malpracticed HBP, compounded by the wrong medication for a condition he didnt even have......contributing to his death.

-------------------------------------------------------

I strongly suggest that unless you have a medical background ( VA forced me to develop one) you need an Independent Medical Opinion from a real (none VA )doctor, to try to determine the answer to some of your questions,  as to the benzos, and simvastatin etc. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 7, 2018 by Berta

[toddt]

The C-file is just that.  It contains records, notes, letters having to do with any claims that the veteran applied for.  The VA gathers all information pertaining to what was claimed.  The C-file will not necessarily have all medical records.

 

In service medical records have to be requested.  These might help you:

https://www.google.com/search?client=opera&q=requesting+military+medical+records&sourceid=opera&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8#kpvalbx=1

 

https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records

[broncovet]

IF you can log into  your husbands myhelthy vet account (and I have no idea if you can, legally, Im just not sure...you should be able to if you were his POA),

Then his meds should be there.  Mine are there from decades ago.  

Again, I dont know if you can log into that or not.  Of course, I can log into mine, and can/have used that as evidence.  

I am NOT suggesting you log in illegally.   NEVER.   I am simply saying IF you can log in legally, then that information could be there.  

Edited August 7, 2018 by broncovet
add more.

[Buck52]

broncovet it may not be leagal eagle 

 but if its his wife/widow  why not?

I mean if he she knows his password & can look on his account  then who is going to tell? she can find what she needs  make copies  and send them in as her evidence, check dates ect,,ect,,, all these things are very important.

its the medical records/dates the VA Looks at Right?

I think the spouse of a disable Veteran needs to know  a lot of things form her/his spouse who ever is the Veteran/this type situation should be thought through carefully but accurately before the need arises.  ...when the Veteran dies  Can't ask the Veteran then....