(Sarah Volpenhein, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded over $4.2 million in overdue benefits to about 100 veterans, following a review of faulty exams conducted by a since-fired physician at the Tomah Veterans Affairs Medical Center, according to a press release from U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s office.
According to Sarah Volpenhein with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the announcement comes more than a year after the Department of Veterans Affairs launched a review of every disability exam conducted by Dr. Mary Jo Lanska, a former VA physician who assessed veterans seeking disability benefits for traumatic brain injury and other service-related injuries.
The VA launched the review following a multi-part investigation by KARE 11, a Minneapolis-based TV station, that found veterans suffering from traumatic brain injuries or other neurological conditions were misdiagnosed by Lanska, resulting in their claims for disability benefits being denied.
Lanska was fired in May 2023. Two years ago, Baldwin called for an investigation into possible misdiagnoses of veterans’ neurological disorders at the Tomah VA, after hearing from veterans who complained of being denied disability benefits. Her office has continued to push for veterans seen by Lanska to be given new exams to determine if they qualify for disability benefits and for veterans to receive proper compensation.
A little over 940 veterans received exams from Lanska at the Tomah VA, according to Baldwin’s press release. Through its review, the VA identified nearly 650 veterans who may have been wrongly denied disability benefits or otherwise negatively affected by an exam performed by Lanska, the release says and the VA confirmed.
About 150 claims for relief have been filed by or on behalf of some of those nearly 650 veterans, according to Baldwin’s press release. Of those, about 100 have been granted, resulting in the more than $4.2 million in retroactive benefits paid, the release says.
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