WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A congressional hearing criticized care at the Hefner VA Medical Center in Salisbury and demanded better performance and accountability.

Those hearings were watched closely by local veterans and their families, one of which just put the VA on notice that a medical malpractice lawsuit is coming.

One of the benefits of being a young soldier like Jimmy Copeland is knowing that when you get older, you're entitled to health care at VA hospitals.

Copeland went to the Hefner VA hospital in Salisbury for a colon exam, then had a stroke.

Family attorney Kent Brown said the VA didn't have procedure for a common stroke drug -- and a three hour treatment window closed before Copeland was transferred to a different hospital. He died three days later.

"Had he received the appropriate attention and appropriate drugs, in all probability he would not have died and be well and healthy today,” Brown said.

Thursday, lawmakers criticized the VA's problems, procedures and accountability.

It included a nurse who listed a dead person in stable condition and kept her job.

"What the hell is she still doing there?” asked Rep. Bob Filner, who chaired Thursday’s Committee on Veteran’s Affairs committee. "We're talking about deaths of human beings."

WCNC showed Brown part of that hearing. It included discussion about whether 12 people died from insufficient care and delayed reporting of those deaths.

"C'mon, that's six months with 12 deaths,” Filner said. "If it were my family and my children or my spouse, I would be on that the next day. So the bureaucratic sort of 'speed' of what you think is reasonable is forever."

Brown said when it came to answers, there were few.

"He wasn't able to answer questions about why when things went wrong they weren't reported,” Brown said after watching part of the testimony.

Copeland’s family will seek damages and changes within the VA.

"Because our veterans go to that hospital every day and they deserve better,” Brown said.

VA officials said they've already corrected several mistakes and that care at the Hefner VA has gotten significantly better in the last couple of years.