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Over 200 Patients May Have Been Exposed To HIV, Hepatitis

Posted in Medical Malpractice on Friday, April 1, 2016.

The utmost certain standard of care is always expected of doctors and nurses. One small mistake can have catastrophic consequences, which is why doctors and nurses are expected to abide by stringent rules and standards. Unfortunately, some healthcare professionals fail to live up to these standards, and patients may be left in a worse condition than when they arrived at the healthcare facility. When this happens, victims and their families may wish to pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit.

Pennsylvania residents may have read about a recent health scare affecting patients of an Atlantic City health center. According to reports, 213 patients of this health center may have been exposed to HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C. The hospital had started to notify patients of possible exposure to these diseases after it was discovered that a former employee was accused of tampering with medication. These patients may have been exposed to that employee’s blood.

Patients received a letter in the mail warning them of the possible exposure. The hospital offered to cover the cost of testing for the diseases, although patients were also given the option to seek out private testing. They did not provide an exact date of when they became aware of the possible exposure. However, dates were reported by both an internal investigation and one conducted by the prosecutor’s office.

When the details involved in a case point to medical malpractice, victims and their families have rights. They may choose to pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit in order to obtain monetary compensation. Though such a lawsuit can never undo the damage that was done, compensation may give victims and their families some much needed financial relief.

Source: Press of Atlantic City, “213 Shore Medical patients warned of possible HIV, hepatitis exposure,” Nicole Leonard, Cindy Sainsbury, February 29, 2016