RICHMOND, Va. — A Virginia legislator has asked the state Inspector General to investigate a program that's supposed to help families whose infants suffered a traumatic brain injury at birth.
The Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program was set up by the General Assembly to help these vulnerable families who otherwise faced a medical malpractice cap on damages they could claim.
Virginia Sen. Scott Surovell (D-34) said after the fund's CFO pled guilty to embezzling nearly $5 million last year, the program has made it difficult for families of injured children to get funds.
Watch: Families react as former Virginia Birth Injury CFO sentenced for stealing millions from program
Surovell said among the list of things he want OSIG to look at include an audit of the program's finances, and whether more fraud has occured, and whether families now face an undue barrier in getting benefits.
"There's been a lot of operational problems in the organization ever since this embezzlement happened, and they've also just become extraordinarily restrictive in terms of paying out benefits, and you have a lot of families whose infants are injured through no fault of their own, who rely on this program to receive services, and the program just isn't providing the benefits that they're statutorily authorized to provide," Surovell said.
OSIG has confirmed to CBS 6 the receipt of Surovell's letter, but will not comment on whether an investigation is underway.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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