NEW ORLEANS – St. John the Baptist Parish couple is seeking millions in damages over allegations a veterans health care facility failed to timely diagnose the husband's epidural abscess.
Hilton and Faith Farlough filed a complaint on March 14 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against United States of America alleging medical malpractice.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs allege that Hilton Farlough was under the care of defendant's Southeast Louisiana Veterans Healthcare Services in 2015 for treatment of worsening lower extremity weakness. The suit states he was incorrectly diagnosed and that the defendant failed to conduct a full differential diagnosis, failed to timely diagnose the abscess and other counts. On Sept. 9, 2015, plaintiffs filed an administrative claim for damages against defendant for $20 million, the suit states
The plaintiffs holds United States of America responsible because the Department of Veterans Affairs allegedly denied their claim as not amenable to resolution due to the fact that settlement was not possible at that time.
The plaintiffs seek an award for damages in the amount of $20 million, plus interest, costs of this suit and all other equitable relief. They are represented by Kara Hadican Samuels of Kara Hadican Samuels & Associates LLC in New Orleans and Roderick "Rico" Alvenida of Law Office of Alvenida, Kelly & Demarest LLC in New Orleans.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Case number 2:17-cv-02129