As a result of the spread of hepatitis c, allegedly by a lab technician who worked at a number of hospitals, affected individuals throughout the nation have filed lawsuits in relation to the matter against the hospitals that employed him. One of those hospitals, UPMC, is located in Pennsylvania.

Some of those lawsuits are class actions brought by patients of UPMC. Some of the approximately 2,000 individuals who were warned of possible contact with the man, have joined the cases.  In the lawsuits, the hospital is facing allegations of negligence in not only hiring the radiology technician, but in the way in which he was supervised as well.

Earlier this month there was a ruling by an Allegheny County Common Pleas judge regarding the cases. In the ruling, the judge eliminated the possibility of punitive damages and limited the damages that plaintiffs in the case could hope to recover to expenses incurred as a result of injuries suffered in the course of blood tests designed to check for the hepatitis c. While to some this may appear as a setback, the second part of the ruling, which indicated that the class action cases could continue, is deemed by some to be a positive thing. It may be an indication that the cases are solid and could be successful.

UPMC allegedly let the technician go less than two months after he began working at the hospital as a contract worker. The reason for his dismissal was reportedly a suspicion that he was taking drugs from the hospital. Aside from the dismissal it does not appear that the hospital took any further action in the matter. For instance, the hospital did not report the alleged behavior to the police.

There is likely more to come in this case. We will provide updates as they become available.

Source: Trib Live, "Allegheny County judge tosses 3 hepatitis C lawsuits against UPMC, lets 2 go forward," Debra Erdley, June 25, 2013