Iraq war veteran's parents sue U.S. after suicide

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2639524220070726

BOSTON (Reuters) - The parents of an Iraq war veteran who committed suicide sued the U.S. government on Thursday for negligence, charging their son hanged himself after the government ignored his depression.

The suit accuses the federal government of not helping 23-year-old Jeffrey Lucey, who committed suicide in his parents' Massachusetts basement less than a year after returning home from fighting during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary James Nicholson was also named in the suit.

"This government is guilty of not taking care of the troops after they come home," the veteran's father, Kevin Lucey, said in an interview. "We are hoping to show this nation how broken the Veterans Administration is. We want to make this a responsive and efficient system."

The action follows another suit in which two veterans' rights groups allege the Department of Veterans Affairs delayed and denied veterans help for combat-related disabilities such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

[Grandrose]

1. Condolences to the parents...

and may their son rest in peace. Gone to soon.:cry: Veterans deserve so much more!

[northofdenali]

2. Our returning troops and veterans are being miserably ignored.

IAVA has numerous documented incidents that are incredibly sad. I'd like to see some courageous law firm take this on as a class action suit and FORCE the DoD/Bush/Cheney cabal to provide treatment and compensate for losses over and above wrongful death and/or disability.

[Stinky The Clown]

3. Vets have been having to fight HARDER to get their contract with

their government honored than they have had to with whatever enemy they've been asked to oppose.

It has always been this way.

We need to honor our contract with them or stop sending them to wars.