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Gulf War Veteran

Health Care Complaints, 2005

 

When you walk inside a Veteran Affairs Medical

Center, the first thing you see on a wall is the 

Patients Rights form in which they claim you have 

the right to complain about bad service without

retaliation from VA itself.

Patient Rights and Responsibilities

But it doesnt explain who to complain too or how.

 

On the first floor close to the front should be a Patient

Representative who's sole job is to help you with any

problems that arise. There are usually between 1 to

3 at any VAMC in the US. This is your first stop when

things go badly with your health care at the VA.

 

Then there is a Persian Gulf Coordinator in the 

building, who also doubles as Ionizing Radiation / 

Agent Orange coordinator. They can get you help, 

or a referral to a War Related Illness and Injury Study Clinic 

( WRIISC ) in either Orange County or Washington, 

DC VAMC's for advanced follow up. The local 

VAMC picks up the cost of transportation to and 

from this facility. The cheif of that program is Helen 

Malaskiewicz, and she works with the local coordinator 

to send you to the WRIISC:

 

Referral Form - War-Related Illness and Injury Study Center

Gulf War/Agent Orange Helpline: 1-800-749-8387

 

If you did not have any luck with the Patient Representative,

you then walk up to the Administrative Office, and ask

for assistance. Either Public Affairs, Chief of Medicine,

or even the Director himself if you don't mind waiting

for a appointment. 

 

If these do not work out, you contact Regional 

Administration special case liaison in your Regional 

Office. This falls under a VISN jurisdiction that applies

to that states facility administrative system. The special 

case worker is there for unique veteran situations.

You then contact DVA in DC through this electronic 

Complaint Form:

https://iris.va.gov/Scripts/iris.cfg/php.exe/enduser/vet_submit.php

 

Then if that doesnt work out, then you want VA Headquarters

Public Affairs at: 

Department of Veteran Affairs

810 Vermont Ave NW
Washington , DC 20420 

202-273-5712    ( Public Affairs )

You can also contact the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illness

veteran database team, as they can make special medical request

on your behalf over at VA:

 BDM ( OSAGWI / DHSD ) 1-800-497-6261 

At this point you can call the Whitehouse Special Veteran

Liaison at 202-456-5484, and request assistance with your

case. 

 

Then last but not least you file a SF 95 Tort Claim against VA

for wrongful injury, of which you can legally do through Department

of Justice at:

 

http://www.usdoj.gov/civil/forms/sf95.pdf