Punctured with anger, sadness and HIV – A janitor’s worst nightmare

2008-08-05 14:09:01 (GMT) (JusticeNewsFlash.com - Personal Injury, Top Stories)

New York City, New York (JusticeNewsFlash.com) –- One would think that doctors are meticulous in disposing of bio-hazardous wastes. They sterilize their hands constantly and the hospital rooms shine with pristine whiteness. Yet it was the careless actions of one doctor in a private medical facility that led to a janitor of only 37 years to contract the HIV/AIDS virus. She was merely doing her job of emptying the waste bins when a needle that should have been deposited in the bio-hazardous waste bin pricked her.

In a complicated and painful lawsuit, the doctor’s defense was conveniently strengthened by the fact that the infected syringe had been either lost or destroyed. The judge accurately charged the doctor’s with destroying evidence. Furthermore, the defense pled that she had contracted the virus from being too sexually promiscuous and careless. But the jury would not be fooled. Once they learned she routinely cleaned rooms that were used to treat patients with HIV/AIDS and the medical staff was oftentimes negligent when disposing of harmful wastes, they voted in her favor. She was granted a large sum of money, but it pales in comparison to the life she now must lead.

According to the Institute of Medicine, between 44,000 and 98,000 people die annually in hospitals due to preventable medical errors. in terms of disability and health care costs, lost income, lost household production and the personal costs of care, the cost to society is estimated to fall between $17 billion and $29 billion.

To read more about medical malpractice in other areas here: http://www.lectlaw.com/tmed.html