Veteran wounded in Vietnam sues Army to get care

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A Purple Heart recipient from Connecticut who was wounded in the Vietnam War is suing the Army, claiming he's wrongly being denied health care benefits.

William Dolphin of West Haven filed the federal lawsuit Thursday in New Haven in an attempt to upgrade his discharge status and get benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The lawsuit says Dolphin suffered head, knee and back injuries in an explosion during combat in 1968 and was left with post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic pain.

Dolphin's lawyers say he wrongly was given a bad conduct discharge in 1974 after being charged with going AWOL, despite his health and psychological problems. That discharge status is preventing him from getting VA care.

An Army spokesman didn't immediately return a message Thursday.