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Senate Hearings Fail To Establish Accountability For Dayton VA Clinic

A recent U.S. Senate field hearing was held to inquire into the lack of infection control measures used at the Dayton Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center Dental Clinic. The hearing failed to ascertain the accountability it set out to establish.

U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) stated the hearing was designed to do more than determine accountability. He stated the hearing was held to reinstate public "confidence in the VA system" as well as show no veteran will ever suffer through events like those that occurred at the Dayton VA Dental Clinic, which failed its veteran patients for 18 years.

Unfortunately, Sen. Brown's attempts to discover how and why the Dayton VA did not address Dr. Dwight Pemberton's failure (for 18 years) to follow infection control protocols failed. Not one witness with direct knowledge as to the clinic's issues was called for testimony.

Part of the problem with the hearing was the VA's Office of Inspector General (OIG) never interviewing many vital witnesses during their investigation, to include Pemberton. The investigation could never be considered complete, and the OIG's failing actually pointed out a critical defect: retirement works as a shield to the investigative process.

Sen. Brown may never be able to establish responsibility for the events at the Dayton VA Dental Clinic. It is unlikely this is the last hearing on the subject, however. In investigating the clinic, the investigative process itself came under fire and no accountability can be established without a solid base of facts from which to start.

If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veterans disability rights firm today - 1-888-234-5758.