CHARLESTON, W.Va. — For mer Air Force reservist Gale Reid received a letter from the Veterans Affairs Department that told her she had Lou Gehrig’s disease, and she immediately put herself through a battery of painful, expensive tests. Five days later, the VA said its “diagnosis” was a mistake.
Letters were sent to 1,864 veterans about disability benefits for those with ALS, known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and a “small number” have contacted the VA indicating they received the letters in error, VA spokeswoman Katie Roberts said Monday night.
The National Gulf War Resource Center said Reid was among at least 1,200 veterans who received the letter, even though they hadn’t been diagnosed with the illness. Veterans were initially suspicious but still went through the agony of not knowing whether they had the degenerative disease, which typically kills people within five years.
The National Gulf War Resource Center said at least 2,500 letters informing veterans of disability benefits for ALS sufferers were sent, with about 1,200 a mistake. Those who received the letters have undiagnosed neurological disorders, according to the Gulf War veterans group.
No one knows for sure exactly how many letters were mailed to veterans and how many were a mistake.
“VA is immediately reviewing the individual claims files for all the recipients of this letter to identify those who received the notification in error,” the VA said in a statement Monday night.
