A federal judge has ordered the government to pay nearly $750,000 to the estate of a veteran who lost much of his vision during a 2006 surgical procedure. In an 18-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Tom Lee found that the Veterans Administration medical facility in Jackson, Miss. had used a chemical solution that caused severe burns on the plaintiff’s corneas. The facility then tried to cover up the error, according to reports. The award includes $500,000 in punitive damages, the maximum allowed under Mississippi law.