A federal judge has awarded $8.7 million to the family of a Vietnam War veteran who died after a tragic medical mistake at the Atlanta VA Medical Center. The ruling highlights a disturbing case of gross medical negligence and a government cover-up that lasted nearly eight years.
Jesse James Anderson, a 70-year-old veteran who served three tours in Vietnam, was recovering from surgery to clear an artery when a nurse mistakenly inserted a feeding tube into his windpipe. The nurse had never performed the procedure and wasn’t trained to do so, but was reportedly pressured by the supervising doctor to go ahead.
Anderson began to suffocate almost immediately. He struggled to breathe for nearly 30 minutes while conscious before losing consciousness. He died two days later when life support was withdrawn.
U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg described Anderson’s final moments as “terrifying” and called the incident “grievous malpractice” in her ruling.
The federal government fought the case for years, denying responsibility and attempting to withhold key evidence. According to the court’s findings, internal investigations had already confirmed that the care Anderson received was far below acceptable standards.
The government only admitted liability in June 2024, almost eight years after the incident.
In August 2024, Judge Totenberg sanctioned the government for what she called a “lengthy course of concealment,” accusing officials of hiding key witnesses, misleading their own expert consultants, and delaying the truth.
Attorney Matt Cook, who represented Anderson’s family, said the outcome was long overdue. He accused the government of intentionally stalling the case and described the veteran’s death as horrifying and entirely preventable.
Cook explained that the doctor responsible was known for a poor attitude and was later transferred to another medical program. The doctor was not named as a party in the case.
“This outcome came so unnecessarily late because of the government’s shenanigans,” Cook said. “They knew they were to blame from the start.”
Jesse Anderson lived in the North Georgia town of Dahlonega. After serving in Vietnam, where he was exposed to Agent Orange, he worked as a skilled stonemason. According to court testimony, he was known for his contagious laugh, generosity, and unwavering commitment to helping other veterans.
His son, Webb Anderson, testified that his father never met a stranger and fully trusted the VA medical system — a trust that was ultimately betrayed.
Medical experts testified that Anderson likely had five to 14 years of life left if not for the feeding tube error.
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