Buxton Widow Awarded $1.3 Million in Wrongful Death Case Against Togus VA

A federal judge has awarded $1.3 million to the widow of Roy Palmer, a Buxton resident who died following negligent care at the Togus VA Medical Center in Augusta, Maine. Mr. Palmer was hospitalized at Togus from April 6 to April 9, 2020, during which time he suffered a heart attack. Tragically, he passed away on April 30, 2020, at the age of 69.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Mr. Palmer’s wife was unable to visit him until just two days before his death. Court documents reveal that the government admitted negligence in Mr. Palmer’s care and acknowledged that this negligence directly led to his cardiac arrest and subsequent death.

A bench trial held in January 2025 found that Mr. Palmer endured conscious pain and suffering for 13 days. During this time, he exhibited significant discomfort, severe shivering, coughing due to intubation, and symptoms of myoclonus—sudden, involuntary muscle spasms.

Mr. Palmer had proudly served in the U.S. Army until his honorable discharge in March 1972. This case underscores the importance of accountability in the care of our nation’s veterans.