Omaha Vietnam veteran Michael Hansen tragically passed away after the VA neglected to inform him of a potential cancer diagnosis, leaving his widow, Lisa Hansen, concerned that his case may not be isolated.
In the Omaha Veterans Affairs Medical Center exam room in late October 2020, Michael Hansen awaited confirmation of suspicions he shared with his wife, Lisa. The 67-year-old Vietnam vet had presumed late-stage lung cancer.
Dr. Gary Gorby and risk manager Laura Whale eventually entered the room, confirming a grave mistake made by the VA. A growth in Hansen’s lungs, initially detected over a year earlier, had been overlooked, allowing the cancer to progress unchecked. The tumor, initially the size of a postage stamp, had quadrupled, and another had emerged in his left lung.
Despite the presence of a safety net—a registry designed to organize concerning lung scans and alert patients to the need for further medical attention—it had failed. Depositions in the lawsuit revealed that no one oversaw the neglected registry at the VA hospital, a critical flaw left unaddressed for over a year after the responsible nurse retired in 2019.
The U.S. government tentatively settled with Lisa Hansen on Dec. 11, a day before trial, as the hospital had already admitted liability. While seeking compensation, Lisa’s deeper concern lies in uncovering how many similar cases went unnoticed by the Omaha VA.
“From the day that (nurse) resigned until they hired somebody, they should be going through every day, reviewing (cases) and sending out letters,” Lisa asserted. Her pursuit extends beyond monetary compensation, urging the VA to proactively address potential oversights and communicate with affected individuals out of human decency.
Michael Hansen pictured below.
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