Hospital negligence: 2,300 patients exposed to HIV over 3 years

Louisiana patients of clinics and hospitals may be concerned about their exposure to blood-borne pathogens after over 2,300 people in another state were informed that their health may have been compromised by contaminated needles used during testing at a clinic. A woman recently filed a class action lawsuit against the facility, alleging hospital negligence. This followed that state’s Department of Health and Human Resources sending out letters to warn former patients of possible contamination.

According to the lawsuit, more than 2,300 patients who had blood drawn for testing between the beginning of March 2012 and the end of March 2015 were informed that they might have been exposed to Hepatitis B and C as well as HIV. These patients were instructed to have themselves tested for the presence of these diseases. Future testing will also be required even if initial tests are negative.

The woman who filed this lawsuit claims to have undergone a stress test at the defendant’s facility during September 2014. She alleges personnel at the clinic administered an injection using a potentially contaminated needle. She accuses the defendant of negligence, recklessness and carelessness in its willful, intentional and wrongful exposure of patients to blood-borne pathogens that could be deadly.

The plaintiff claims that ongoing monitoring and testing will bring about medical expenses and emotional trauma. She seeks damages — both compensatory and punitive — along with pre-judgment and post-judgment interest. Medical malpractice is a complicated area of the law, and Louisiana residents who are suffering the consequences of physician or hospital negligence may find the legal proceedings easier to navigate with the support and guidance of an experienced medical malpractice attorney.

Source: wvrecord.com, “Second woman files class action lawsuit heart clinic for increased risk of blood-borne illnesses“, Kyla Asbury, April 5, 2016