Our Cases Make the News

USA Agrees to Pay $5.75 Million to the Family of a 33 Year-Old Army Veteran Who Died by Suicide at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center

The family of Sgt. Brieux Dash has reached a historic settlement for $5,750,000 in their wrongful death lawsuit against the United States of America based on the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center’s negligent failure to prevent Sgt. Dash’s death by suicide. It is believed to be the largest death by suicide case the Department of Justice has ever settled.   Click Here to Learn More

Jason Moon, Veteran

Army veteran Jason Moon, 33, contacted the South Bend Vet Center for behavioral health care in 2020. But workers failed to conduct an appropriate suicide risk assessment or provide timely care, which lead to his death from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his home Oct. 15, 2020, while his wife and three of his five children were there, according to a complaint filed with the family’s wrongful death claim in 2022.

Sgt. Brieux Dash, Veteran

SF95 Claim Filed on Behalf of the Estate of Sgt. Brieux Alexander Dash

Sgt. Brieux Alexander Dash died by suicide after being involuntarily committed to the mental health unit at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center 2 because he had tried to kill himself and needed protection from harm. He was 33 years old. On March 14, 2019, Brieux was isolated behind a closed door, and hidden from observation by any mental health staff, when he died by suicide in room 235-1. His body was found by another patient.

Gary Steven Pressley, Veteran

SF95 Claim Filed on Behalf of Rhonda Machelle Wilson, Individually, and as Administrator for the Estate of Gary Steven Pressley

On April 5, 2019, Gary Steven Pressley killed himself in the parking lot at the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center in Dublin, Georgia.1 He fired a bullet through his chest in order to escape the excruciating pain and suffering he was experiencing because his VA primary care physician, Ebelechukwu Nwagbata, M.D. negligently, and without justification, abruptly discontinued his opioid prescription. Gary was only 28 years old.

Veteran’s family receives $1.7M in wrongful death claim against Indiana VA facility
MARCH 27, 2024 | STARS & STRIPES

Family seeks damages after veteran’s suicide inside VA mental health unit
AUGUST 21, 2020 | STARS & STRIPES

Family of veteran who died by suicide in locked hospital unit files claim against VA seeking answers
AUGUST 21, 2020 | CONNECTING VETS

Navy vet shot himself after doc cut off opioid prescription, mom claims
MARCH 14, 2020 | NY POST

3 hours after a veteran died by suicide in a VA parking lot, staff went to find him
MARCH 4, 2020 | CONNECTING VETS

Mom of veteran who died by suicide at Georgia VA files claim against the federal agency
FEBRUARY 27, 2020 | 11 ALIVE, ATLANTA

Georgia veteran says VA’s efforts to fight opioid addiction has left him, others in pain
FEBRUARY 26, 2020 | WSB-TV 2, ATLANTA

VA ‘negligent’ in veteran’s parking-lot suicide, mother says
FEBRUARY 21, 2020 | STARS & STRIPES

Mother files claim against VA after veteran son’s suicide
FEBRUARY 21, 2020 | ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION

Lawsuit charges VA mistakes, inaction led to veteran’s parking lot suicide
FEBRUARY 21, 2020 | MILITARY TIMES