VA Health Care Investigations Left in the Dark

The Department of Veterans Affairs picked up another notch on their belt of scandals and mishaps earlier this month. USA Today recently reported that the VA has not publicly released the findings of 140 health care investigations going back to 2006.

And so more problems for our veterans continued to fester without proper oversight, leaving those who have served our country out to dry.

It is unknown how many of the investigations uncovered serious or dangerous problems as the reports have not been read or analyzed yet, but all of them concerned VA medical care provided to veterans or complaints of clinical misconduct.

The VA inspector general said they could not provide specifics for the apparent lack of transparency, as the inspector general has not analyzed the reports in full.

Catherine Gromek, the VA inspector general, advised requesting the reports under the Freedom of Information Act. USA Today submitted a request in January for 23 reports. Her office has maintained that officials are "working diligently" to fulfill the request.

The inspector general’s office noted that, in general, reports may not be released if allegations are unsubstantiated and disclosing them could damage someone's reputation, when there is a pending lawsuit or when subjects of investigations are no longer working at the VA.

Officials from the inspector general's office did review 26 reports withheld from the public since January 2014 and found less than half — 46% — involved unsubstantiated allegations. They said in 42% of the cases, inspectors determined VA officials had already addressed their concerns so a public report was unnecessary. One was the subject of a pending lawsuit.

However, these statistics and reasons for lack of transparency do not satisfy the many veterans and their families who continue to suffer through poor care, long waits, and a bevy of other issues at VA medical centers. And they should not satisfy the public either.

Read USA Today’s full report on the issue here:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2015/03/08/probes-of-veterans-health-care-often-not-released-to-public/24525109/

At Legal Help For Veterans, PLLC, we focus exclusively on veterans’ rights. If you are a veteran looking to get the benefits that you deserve, call us today at 1-800-693-4800. We handle a variety of claims, including PTSD, TBI, and other service-connected injuries. www.LegalHelpForVeterans.com

Fausone Bohn Scores a Win at Michigan Court of Appeals

Two years ago, then-Congressman Thaddeus McCotter of Michigan’s 11^th District got caught up in a petition fraud scandal that threw him off the ballot and led him to resign from Congress.

It also led to two of his staffers being charged with “conspiracy to commit a legal act in an illegal manner” – a felony. A team of lawyers at Fausone Bohn handled the matter successfully from the trial court all the way to the Michigan Court of Appeals.

The trial judge agreed that the Michigan Attorney General over charged in the case, and dismissed the conspiracy charges. The decision was upheld by the Court of Appeals.

A job well-done by attorneys Mark Mandell, Keith Madden, and Jim Pelland!

Read more on the case here: http://www.hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F201408061723%2FNEWS10%2F308060029

Are you in need of legal help? Our firm has a breadth of experience, from criminal law and family law, to business and corporate matters. Check out our website, www.fb-firm.com, to see if we can be of assistance to you. Or give us a call at 248-468-4536.

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Retires After Accusations of Bank Fraud

Mark J. Mandell, Esq.

Amidst federal charges of bank fraud, Diane Hathaway has filed for retirement, stepping down from her post as Michigan Supreme Court Justice. The charge was filed Friday as a “criminal information,” which means it was negotiated and that a guilty plea is expected in federal court. As a result, Hathaway faces the loss of her law license and time in prison.

In order to convince a lender that she qualified for a short sale on her $1.5 million home in Grosse Pointe, Hathaway concealed her ownership of a Florida home by placing the home in husband’s daughter’s name. As a result, the short sale went through in November 2011 and erased the $600,000 debt they had with the bank. Following the short sale, the Florida home was transferred back to Hathaway in March 2012. Hathaway has refused to make any public comments explaining the transactions; instead, she claims that the property shuffle was a private matter.

Now, the judge that sentences her must be concerned with the message that is sent by his decision: “Do you cut a break to a sitting Supreme Court Justice who has to know better?” Peter Henning, a professor at Wayne State University Law School, asked. The maximum penalty for bank fraud is 30 years in prison. While such an extreme sentence seems rare, Hathaway should expect some time in custody. Former federal prosecutor Lloyd Meyer of Chicago believes it “would be unthinkable to have this type of defendant get a slap on the wrist.”

Governor Rick Snyder plans to appoint a replacement. Last year, the Michigan Judicial Selection Task Force made a recommendation for the process, suggesting that when a vacancy occurs on the Michigan Supreme Court, a non-partisan panel should screen candidates and then submit three to five choice from which the governor could choose. As of late, Governor Snyder is conducting his own search, hoping to appoint a replacement sooner rather than later.

Chief Justice Young called the scandal one that “diminishes the public’s trust in government.” Hopefully, Synder’s newest appointee will help to rebuild this trust.

If you have questions about criminal matters, fraud or other legal issues, please contact Mark Mandell or Tariq Hafeez at 248.380.0000 or online at www.MichiganFraudLawyer.com.

 

To learn more and read the original article, please visit: http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/Michigan-Justice-Diane-Hathaway-retires-amid-bank-fraud-charges/-/1719418/18211054/-/msqdmv/-/index.html