The National Defense Authorization Act (2019) created a new pathway for military service members to file medical malpractice claims previously barred under the Feres Doctrine. While this law expands legal rights, it comes with strict limitations, including administrative-only claims and exclusions for combat-zone injuries. Understanding eligibility, deadlines, and claim procedures is critical for success. Seeking experienced legal guidance can help navigate this complex process and improve the chances of compensation.

En diciembre de 2019, se promulgó la Ley de Autorización de Defensa Nacional. Esta nueva ley cambió un aspecto muy importante del servicio militar para los miembros del servicio en todo el país. Donde previamente se les prohibió presentar reclamos por negligencia médica contra proveedores médicos militares bajo la Doctrina Feres, la Ley de Autorización de Defensa Nacional ahora permite la presentación de tales reclamos.

The passing of the National Defense Authorization Act certainly provides military families with greater legal freedoms than previously enjoyed, but it is not without its limits. The new law allows for the filing of medical malpractice claims against military medical providers, but there are strict rules for such claims that all military families must recognize. It is also necessary for servicemembers and their families to understand how the new Ley de Autorización de Defensa Nacional interacts with the Feres Doctrine, the law which has historically been the barrier to recovery for many service members injured by medical malpractice for more than 80 years.

¿Qué es la doctrina de las tarifas?

After a group of lawsuits against the federal government in the 1940s, the Feres Doctrine became law and prohibited servicemembers from taking legal action for injuries sustained on and off the battlefield. While those who enlist for military service understand that doing so entails a significant risk to life and limb, many have not expected that they would be left without recourse if they suffer injuries from military medical care providers. The Feres Doctrine decreed that military members could not sue under the Federal Tort Claims Act for damages sustained due to military medical malpractice.

Supporters of the Feres Doctrine commonly argued that the military had provisions in place to protect service members in the event of injuries occurring off the battlefield. Every service member receives free medical care that extends after discharge, and if a service member dies their next of kin receives $100,000 in gratuity, often expanded to $500,000 if the service member elected to pay into Servicemembers Group Life Insurance. It’s often argued that these protections and the internal procedures of the US military provide more than enough relief for service members injured both on and off the battlefield, but several recent cases of medical malpractice issues occurring out of combat zones have suggested otherwise.

Nuevas reglas para reclamos de negligencia médica militar

Primero, es esencial entender qué tipos de reclamos son aceptables bajo la Ley de Autorización de Defensa Nacional. Un miembro militar no puede presentar un reclamo por negligencia médica por daños relacionados con negligencia médica sufridos en una zona de combate, ni un miembro militar puede demandar por negligencia médica en un tribunal federal. La nueva ley exige que todos los reclamos de negligencia médica militar se sometan a una adjudicación administrativa.

La nueva ley también establece reglas basadas en el monto de un reclamo. Si un reclamo está valorado en $100,000 o menos, el monto final se paga directamente al miembro del servicio lesionado o su familia. Si el valor del reclamo es superior a $100,000, el Departamento del Tesoro de los Estados Unidos lo revisará de forma independiente antes de pagar cualquier cosa al miembro del servicio o su familia.

The National Defense Authorization Act provides a two-year Estatuto de limitaciones for filing negligencia médica reclamaciones contra proveedores médicos militares, y la nueva ley se aplica retroactivamente a las lesiones por negligencia médica que ocurrieron desde 2017. La fecha de una lesión o la fecha de descubrimiento de una lesión de negligencia médica debe estar dentro de este plazo designado para calificar para ser considerado bajo la Ley de Autorización de Defensa Nacional.

Buscando asesoría legal para un reclamo bajo la Ley de Autorización de Defensa Nacional

While the National Defense Authorization Act did not overturn the Feres Doctrine, it does provide a workaround for service members injured by medical malpractice while receiving military medical care. The process of pursuing a medical malpractice claim under this new law is relatively the same as it would be for a standard reclamo por negligencia médica. The injured party must prove that the defendant named in their claim did not uphold an acceptable standard of care. Medical malpractice can apply to a misdiagnosis, a delayed diagnosis, a prescription error, a surgical mistake, or any other incident in which a patient suffered injuries due to a preventable error.

Dado que esta nueva ley ha entrado en vigencia recientemente, es esencial que cualquier miembro del servicio que crea que tiene motivos para un reclamo hable con un abogado con experiencia en negligencia médica lo antes posible. UNA abogado de lesiones personales puede garantizar que el reclamo se encuentre dentro del plazo de prescripción aceptable en virtud de la Ley de Autorización de Defensa Nacional y proporcionar orientación legal durante los procedimientos posteriores.

Due to the stringent rules and regulations attached to the National Defense Authorization Act, it’s essential for anyone who believes they have grounds for a claim under this Act to seek legal counsel lo antes posible. Póngase en contacto con Kenneth M. Sigelman & Associates hoy para programar una consulta sobre su reclamo de negligencia médica militar.

Key Takeaways

  • The National Defense Authorization Act allows military members to file malpractice claims previously barred by the Feres Doctrine.
  • Claims must go through administrative processes—not federal court—and exclude combat-zone injuries.
  • Compensation rules differ based on claim value, with larger claims reviewed by the U.S. Treasury.
  • A two-year statute of limitations applies, including some retroactive claims back to 2017.
  • Strong evidence and legal assistance are essential due to the complexity of military malpractice claims.