Reeling From Medical Burns, Stafford Veteran Filing Against U.S.

STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. — Steven Anthony served his country in the U.S. Army from 1984 to 1989.

The Stafford resident said he used to have a normal life after his time in the Army, and for years was active in the Suzuki Motorcycles Owners Club.

While volunteering for the club in June 2011, he stopped in Denver for on his way British Columbia. While there his knee gave out, and he likened it to an old knee injury he suffered while in the Army.

His medical problems continued to mount, and by the time he had scheduled to have surgery on his knee at the Martinsburg, WV Veterans Medical Center later that month, he also asked doctors to remove a cist that had grown on his forehead. Both operations were to take place the same day.

But when Anthony lay on the table with surgical drapes placed on his face, Anthony said oxygen built up underneath the cloth. Then, as doctors were about to use a cauterizing gun to remove the cist, that oxygen caught fire burning Anthony.

Though he was under anesthesia, Anthony awakened when he felt his face on fire, grabbed the drapes, and then ripped them off his face.  Though badly burned, Anthony said he went ahead with the surgery to repair his knee.

Out of the hospital, Anthony suffered damage to his teeth, nose, and facial scaring. He did not look like the same person he did when he went into the hospital that day.

“It took three months for my face to stop oozing,” said Anthony. “My life has been turned upside down, and they’re just going on like nothing happened.”

Anthony is referring to officials at the VA Medical Center in West Virginia, whom he and lawyer Anthony C. Williams initially sued for $1.4 million claiming negligent medical care, according to Williams. During several negotiations, the medical center offered Anthony $30,000. But Anthony, citing severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder following the incident, declined the offer.

“I believe that Mr. Anthony is currently rated at 50% disability for the PTSD that the incident caused. His inability to function socially since the incident leads me to believe that his disability rating will probably increase to at least 70%,” Williams stated in a letter to Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Regional Legal Counsel.

The letter went on to state Anthony feels the VA is not taking his claim seriously.

Now Williams said he will file a lawsuit with the Northern District of West Virginia Federal Court by the end of the month.

The VA Medical Center in Martinsburg declined to comment on this story noting medical records privacy issues.

Since the incident, Anthony is living with his sister in Stafford County. He said his depression, mood swings, lack of sleep, and other associated mental anguish suffered after the fire has strained his relationship with his family. Anthony fears if something is not done, he could wind up another U.S. veteran on the street.