Attorney, Mike Sheppard of Nashville, said he is preparing to file claims with the VA for about 60 veterans, including three women against the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to pay disability benefits and damages for hospital mistakes that may have exposed veterans to infectious body fluids — a complaint that he said could ultimately multiply into many more such demands.
“Among them are veterans who have tested positive for HIV and hepatitis and others who suffered emotional distress after the VA provided them with initial positive blood tests for infections that turned out to be wrong.
Sheppard also said other veterans among the roughly 10,000 affected former patients at VA hospitals in Murfreesboro, Tenn., Miami and Augusta, Ga., are likely to seek compensation beyond the VA’s offer of free medical care.”
Full Report:
Vets affected by VA hospital errors to file claims;
By BILL POOVEY, Associated Press Writer
For Michael Sallis or any others wanting to contact Attorney Sheppard,I don’t know if he reads this Bog or not, so I found this address and website:
MikeSheppard@craftsheppardlaw.com
302 Uptown Square, Suite E
Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37130
877-321-7330: phone
615-309-1717 : fax
Veteranclaims's Blog 
Dear Mr. Sheppard:
I follow the ariticles on VA watchdog.org and would like to give more info I sent to Mr. J. Strickland of that organization. In 2006, my cousin, Richard Burleson was given a prostate exam at the VAMC in Memphis, Tn. He was sent a letter not too long after that he might have contracted HIV, Hep B or possible Hep C as a result of contaminated equipment, and in fact, after testing, he was determined to be infected with the HEP C virus. Since I am a service officer, we filed a tort claim thru an attorney in Fla which was denied (VA would not admit negligence) so I filed a claim for service-connection under VAR 1105E. Rick was awarded a 0% service-connected disability, but passed away in late June of this year of a blod clot that began in his legs and traveled to his brain basically causing a stroke. I have all the paperwork in my possession should you be willing to represent his widow who also is severely disabled as a result of a stroke years ago. If so, please contact me at PO Box 1321 Moses Lake Washington 98837. My phone is (509) 431-0039. Thank
Comment by Michael Sallis — July 28, 2009 @ 4:43 am