(WSMV) A Veterans Affair initiative to curb addiction by cutting back on opioid prescriptions is backfiring, according to some Tennessee veterans.
East Tennessee Marine veteran Robert Rose Jr. has filed a $350 million lawsuit that names several employees of the Mountain Home Veterans’ Affairs Medical Canter and U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, R-TN.
Rose said he has chronic pain in his back, spine and legs as a result of severe injuries while in the service.
He said he has been tormented since last November, when he was forced off pain medication.
According to the VA, more than 221,000 veterans have been weaned off opioids since fall of 2013.
Rose said the veterans who are not addicted, and have severe pain are being neglected.
“It is a death sentence for people like me who has documented issues from the Marine Corps all the way back to 1985. They just said, no more,” Rose said.
Rose said he isn't the only one. He said he has spoken with more than 100 other veterans with similar concerns.
A spokesperson with the VA said that when a decision is made to wean a veteran off opioids, every individual situation is taken in to account.
