Navy vet shot himself after doc cut off opioid prescription, mom claims
The mother of a decorated Navy vet who committed suicide in the parking lot of a VA Hospital last year is seeking $8.25 million from the beleaguered agency — alleging her son became suicidal when a VA-affiliated doc cut off his opioid prescription.
Gary Pressley, 28, shot himself outside the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center in Dublin, Georgia, on April 5, several months after his pain management specialist nixed his Hydrocodone supply over a payment dispute with the VA, according to the claim.
As a result, Pressley “experienced excruciating pain, the horrible side effects of withdrawal and lost all hope,” according to the wrongful death claim Rhonda Machelle Wilson filed last month.
Pressley joined the Navy in 2008 and was honorably discharged four years later, after a motorcycle accident left him disabled with a fractured hip, pelvis and chronic lower back pain, the claim says.
Pressley found relief through his pain management doctor, Ana Maria Platon. But she stopped treating him and other vets in early 2019, because the VA owed her “hundreds of thousands of dollars and purposefully failed to reimburse her,” the claim says.
Wilson also alleges that staff at the Carl Vinson Medical Center failed to look for Pressley after his sister, Lisa Johnson, informed a VA operator her suicidal brother was in the parking lot with a loaded gun.
His body was discovered three hours later inside his car with heavy metal music blaring on the radio and a note beside him that read, “This is what happens by punishing already suffering people muahahaha.” On the back it said “Thank you for the release,” the claim says.
A disturbing photo of his slouched and lifeless corpse included in the claim provided to The Post shows him in a blood-soaked collared shirt and sunglasses.
Platon and the VA did not respond to requests seeking comment
Filed under: General Problems
GOV OUT OF MEDICINE NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Although I can see the attraction the DOJ/AG has developed for those big ‘settlements’, they will certainly control, provided by pharmaceutical manufacturing (or else)…
The “opioid crisis” continues for those of us on the other side of the CDC ‘guideline” for opioid prescribing physicians. The War on patients…continues. How sad, unnecessary that yet another Armed Forces Veteran is FORCED to end life because of the CDC ‘guideline”, forced “tapering”, and even totally denied the LAST, effective pain management therapy on the face of the earth for MANY reported millions of patients. Fear that one MIGHT endanger ourselves by using or diverting our personally prescribed opiate MEDICATION to relieve physical pain or so as it is stated. My condolences, prayers and sincere Thank You for your service to the family of Mr. Pressley.
Well there it is again The driving force of the all mighty dollar!! This poor excuse of a human decided to hurt her patient because she wasnt getting paid from the Govt? She should be in prison for aid n abetting a murder!! I pray the hospital an doctor are made to pay millions for a man that put his life on the line to protect scumbags like this Dr. If we can get a few wins on these lawsuits watch how fast pain medication becomes available..R.I.P. Gary Thank you for your service. You deserved so much more respect then you were given