Guest Post
The serious outbreak of fungal meningitis has already killed 12 people and left more than 130 people infected as the result of a tainted batch of steroid injections that are used to treat pain and inflammation. This outbreak has many medical malpractice lawyers in Hoboken and throughout New Jersey focusing on potential liability in these horrific deaths and illnesses. As investigation into this matter continues to unfold, it has been found that this is not the first time the New England Compounding Center has released a product tainted with meningitis, according to NBC News Vitals.
In mid-July, 2002, William Koch received a shot while in Rochester General Hospital in New York that had been contaminated with bacterial meningitis. While he survived longer than expected, Koch eventually succumbed to the injury inflicted on his body as the result of the meningitis on February 28, 2004. His widow then filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against New England Compound Center claiming that the shot that gave Koch meningitis was from the center.
By 2007 the compounding center came to an agreement with Koch’s widow just before it was to go to trial for an undisclosed amount.
Where Does Liability Lie?
For those who have been affected by the current fungal meningitis outbreak, there are extra considerations that may not have been present in the Koch case. For one, the current outbreak involves steroid injections that are used to treat neck and back pain. These are typically given to those who have experienced a herniated or ruptured disc in their spine—often stemming from an accident.
If the patient who received the contaminated injections was initially injured in an accident, they may be able to collect compensation from the original at-fault party due to proximate cause. What this means is that the plaintiff would prove that if it had not been for the initial actions of the at-fault party that led to injury, the victim never would have needed the injections for pain, and therefore would not have contracted fungal meningitis.
Of course in cases where an accident was not the cause of the need for steroid injections, the only hope for compensation would lie with the compounding center itself. Depending on what is found during the investigation into the facility, it may be ruled that the center was negligent in preventing this outbreak, which may open them up to being held civilly liable for all of the resulting injuries and deaths.
Get Help Now
If you have been infected with fungal meningitis after receiving the contaminated steroid injections or another pharmaceutical has caused you undue harm, contact experienced New Jersey injury attorneys today to learn of your legal rights and options.
Links:
medical malpractice lawyers in Hoboken: http://www.consoleandhollawell.com/pages/hoboken-university-medical-center-medical-malpractice-lawsuits-and-hospital/
NBC News Vitals: http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/10/14349380-firm-involved-in-meningitis-outbreak-provided-tainted-meds-before?lite
medical malpractice: http://www.consoleandhollawell.com/new-jersey/medical-malpractice-lawyers/
New Jersey injury attorneys: http://www.consoleandhollawell.com/new-jersey/accident-injury-lawyers/
