Medical Malpractice at
Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center

The Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center in Columbia, South Carolina is a critical healthcare facility for veterans in central South Carolina. As a full-service VA medical center, it provides comprehensive medical care to our nation's veterans, including emergency services, primary care, mental health treatment, and various specialty services.

Medical errors and negligence can occur at the Dorn VA Medical Center, despite most veterans receiving appropriate care. If veterans are harmed by medical negligence, the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) gives them the legal right to seek compensation.

As both a licensed attorney and medical doctor, our firm's founder brings unique insight to VA medical malpractice cases. We handle FTCA claims against VA facilities and use our medical knowledge to thoroughly evaluate potential claims and identify substandard care that other firms might miss.

The Dorn VA Medical Center operates as a comprehensive medical facility within the VA Southeast Network (VISN 7). Located at 6439 Garners Ferry Road in Columbia, the medical center is the primary VA healthcare facility for veterans in central South Carolina. It has a main campus and seven community-based outpatient clinics.

The facility offers a wide range of medical services including emergency care, primary care, mental health services, and specialty care departments such as cardiology, gastroenterology, dermatology, audiology, and anesthesia. The medical center maintains an active emergency department providing 24/7 care for veterans experiencing acute medical conditions.

The Dorn VA Medical Center provides essential healthcare access to veterans throughout South Carolina as part of the broader VA system. The facility coordinates with other VA centers and clinics to serve South Carolina's veteran population.

• Surgical Errors: The Dorn VA Medical Center performs numerous surgical procedures, and errors can occur during pre-operative planning, during surgery, or in post-operative care. These may include wrong-site surgery, retained surgical items, or post-surgical infections. birth injury claims → Learn more about surgical error claims →

• Emergency Room Mistakes: With its 24/7 emergency department, critical errors can occur during triage, diagnosis, or treatment of acute conditions. Delayed treatment and misdiagnosis in the ER can lead to serious complications. Learn more about emergency room errors →

• Mental Health Treatment Errors: Recent investigations have identified staffing challenges in mental health services at this facility. Errors may include improper medication management, inadequate suicide prevention measures, or failure to properly monitor at-risk patients.

• Medication Errors: These can occur in any department and may involve incorrect dosing, wrong medications, or harmful drug interactions. VA facilities' transition to electronic health records has created new challenges in medication management.

Under the Federal Tort Claims Act (28 U.S.C. § 2675), veterans must first file an administrative claim before pursuing a lawsuit for medical malpractice at the Dorn VA Medical Center. This process begins by submitting Standard Form 95 (SF-95) to the appropriate VA Regional Counsel office.

For claims involving the Dorn VA Medical Center, administrative claims should be filed with:

Office of Regional Counsel (349/02) 6439 Garners Ferry Road Columbia, SC 29209-1649

The FTCA imposes strict deadlines for filing claims. Veterans must file their administrative claim within two years of when they knew or should have known about their injury and its cause. After filing, the VA has six months to investigate and respond to the claim. If the claim is denied or six months pass without a decision, veterans have six months to file a federal lawsuit.

For complete step-by-step instructions, see our comprehensive guide: How to File a VA Medical Malpractice Claim in South Carolina →

While South Carolina's medical malpractice laws include a three-year statute of limitations (S.C. Code § 15-3-545), FTCA claims are governed by federal law and its two-year statute of limitations. South Carolina's damage caps on medical malpractice cases do not apply to FTCA claims against the VA.

We also handle medical malpractice cases at these South Carolina facilities:

• Naval Hospital Beaufort (Beaufort) →
• Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center (Charleston) →

If you've experienced medical malpractice at the Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center in Columbia, South Carolina, you have specific rights under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA). As a veteran or military family member, understanding these rights is crucial for protecting your interests and securing the compensation you deserve.

The FTCA process begins with strict deadlines you must follow. You have two years from the date of the incident (or from when you reasonably should have discovered the injury) to file an administrative claim using Standard Form 95. The VA then has six months to investigate and respond to your claim. Only after this administrative process can you file a federal lawsuit, making timing absolutely critical for your case.

When dealing with VA medical malpractice claims, having an attorney who is also a medical doctor can significantly strengthen your case. These specialized professionals understand both the legal complexities of FTCA claims and the medical standards of care at facilities like Dorn VA Medical Center. They can effectively review your medical records, identify deviations from the standard of care, and articulate how these departures caused your injuries in terms that both the VA and federal courts will understand.

Through an FTCA claim, you may be entitled to recover various damages, including past and future medical expenses, lost wages and earning capacity, and compensation for pain and suffering. For veterans who've already sacrificed so much, these damages can be essential for securing proper medical care and maintaining financial stability. Unlike private medical malpractice cases, FTCA claims have no caps on damages in South Carolina, though punitive damages are not available.

Don't wait to explore your legal options. Many law firms specializing in VA medical malpractice offer free, confidential case evaluations to veterans and their families. During this consultation, an experienced attorney can review the specifics of your case, explain your rights, and help you understand the best path forward. Remember, the sooner you seek legal guidance, the better positioned you'll be to protect your rights and pursue the compensation you deserve for injuries sustained at Dorn VA Medical Center.

We handle various types of VA and military medical malpractice cases in South Carolina:

• South Carolina Surgical Errors Cases →
• South Carolina Emergency Room Errors Cases →
• South Carolina Brain Injury Cases →
• South Carolina Spinal Cord Injury Cases →
• South Carolina Misdiagnosis Cases →
• South Carolina Medication Errors Cases →