Marine Fights for His Life and Fair Compensation
Reported by: Laura Nichols
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
KOMU News
SPRINGFIELD - The VA won't pay for one Marine's injury.
Lance Cpl. Josef Lopez deployed to Iraq in 2006 when he was 20 years-old. He enlisted in the Marine Corps fresh out of high school and was enthusiastic about serving to protect the lives of others. He never thought that he would almost lose his own life from something as routine as a vaccination....*snip*
The smallpox vaccine that Joe got from the Department of Defense just days before deployment was the reason for it all. Joe had an adverse reaction causing incredible damage. The bottom line: his immune system was eating away at his nervous system causing the nerves to deteriorate....*snip*
The VA Department of Insurance Chairman, Stephen Wurtz, says Joe was denied because his injury didn't come from a traumatic combat event, but from a needle. He also said the government can't afford to cover injuries from vaccines.
"Any additional claims under TSGLI are paid by the government, and the government would now be paying that many more claims during a period of conflict," Wurtz commented.
Lopez said what upset him even more is the fact that they amended the TSGLI bill after he applied to specifically disqualify vaccine injuries form compensation. The Lopezes visited Missouri U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill to explain their fight for fair compensation. McCaskill is now working on a bill that would extend coverage to service members injured by vaccines.
"It would give him the same coverage and frankly I really think we need to take care of this young man and his family," Sen. McCaskill said in a satellite interview with KOMU. "He was willing to take care of us."
Through all of this Joe is not just sitting around. He now races a specially made hand cycle in the Marine Corps Marathon each October to raise money for other Marine families. His mom, Barbara participates in the 10K....*snip*
Every now and then I give a thumb up to those stuck in a Democrat party that has been hijacked by liberals and communists. Going out of your way to do something right for our men and women in the armed forces is a good way of receiving my acclamation. For the most part, Senator McCaskill is one of your more fiscally conservative Dems. She's also one of those "blue-dogs" who is currently fearing the wrath of her constituents to vote against Harry Reid's 2000+ page health care reform bill. Missouri residents need to keep working on her to make sure she does just that.
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