Doctors and clinicians in Kentucky and across the United States have an obligation to uphold a certain standard of care. Successful medical treatment is a meticulous process that requires focus from all medical staff and professionals. If any step is missed in this process, the lives of patients are directly put at risk. During surgical procedures especially, if the environment is not sterile, the risk of infection increases dramatically. A recent medical malpractice claim filed against a facility in another state alleged that a large number of patients may have been exposed to deadly infections.
The class-action lawsuit was filed on behalf of over 1,000 people who were patients at the hospital. According to the lawsuit, patients who underwent surgical procedures at the facility may have been exposed to potentially deadly viruses such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. Apparently, the hospital alerted surgery patients that a step was missed in the sterilization process for certain surgical instruments.
The lawsuit said surgical instruments were cleaned with chemical agents, but it couldn’t be determined if the instruments were completely sterile before being used. A woman who initiated the class-action lawsuit said she underwent a procedure at the hospital and was possibly exposed to these incurable and life-threatening diseases. She claims that the experience has caused her and many others trauma and extreme emotional distress.
A safe and sterile environment is a crucial part of a successful medical procedure. If providers fail to do their job or miss a step in the sterilization process, patients will suffer. Families in Kentucky who have suffered due to medical malpractice have the right to seek legal representation and file a claim.