Medical malpractice: Nurse may have exposed patients to virus

When illness, pain or physical injury occurs, most people seek the care and comfort that Louisiana medical professionals can offer. Unfortunately, some patients may experience medical malpractice through inadequate care, failure to diagnose, medication errors and other unfortunate errors. One patient in another state is claiming he suffers from a virus related to the care he received from one nurse.

The man sought management of pain from a hospital emergency room in 2011. The man has filed a recent lawsuit, claiming that his nurse administered two doses of morphine during his stay, and the lawsuit further claims that the nurse mishandled his medication and syringes. In 2017, the patient was diagnosed with Hepatitis C, and he believes that his nurse may have exposed him to the virus during his emergency room visit in 2011.

Earlier this year, a lawsuit was filed against the same hospital and nurse by a different patient who claimed to have been exposed to the Hepatitis C virus, following care. A Department of Health investigation revealed that the nurse suffered from a specific strand of Hepatitis C, genotype 2b. The patient in the second lawsuit suffers from the same strand, and the lawsuit faults the hospital from preventing the nurse from tampering with patient medications, reusing syringes and exposing patients to a disease. The hospital has filed official paperwork, denying the lawsuit’s claims.

Unfortunately, patients are often the ones who suffer pain, discomfort and additional care when medical malpractice occurs. Additional care can often result in significant financial stress for some individuals. Some patients may find restitution and compensation with the help of an experienced Louisiana attorney.