July 14, 2011
Three years ago, a family was blessed with a set of twin boys. One of the twins had difficulty from the moment they were born, suffering from respiratory distress and needing umbilical artery and vein catheters. At some point in his care, the boy was exposed to the deadly Bacillus cereus bacteria from contaminated alcohol prep pads, a lawsuit now claims.
According to MSNBC, the boy suffered permanent brain damage from the infection, leaving him stricken with cerebral palsy and other complications. No trace of the infection was ever found in tests performed by hospital staff on the child’s environment and the doctors and nurses around him.
Initially, the family filed suit against the hospital, claiming poor infection control methods at the facility. However, after noticing a story of a similar infection that was proved to have come from a contaminated alcohol prep pad, and the subsequent recall of the product, an expert examining the case notified lawyers of the possible connection.
The maker of the pads, Triad Group, and their sister company, H & P Industries, Inc., have been added to the list of defendants in a lawsuit filed on behalf of the child and his family.
The company came under scrutiny after another hospital reported a deadly infection related to the pads, leading the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct an in-depth investigation. They found several faults in the manufacturing process as well as unsanitary conditions that lead to contamination, yet did very little to correct the issues. They have since admitted that stronger actions should have been taken with the company.
The family’s suit, scheduled for a September 2012 trial, seeks financial support for medical expenses the child will incur throughout his lifetime, as well as a complete revamping of medical supply manufacturing and inspection processes.
The North Carolina Medical Malpractice Attorneys at HensonFuerst believe their ability to fight against medical malpractice helps maintain the high standards of medical treatment we are fortunate to receive in the United States. If you have been injured or harmed by negligence of medical staff responsible for your care, contact an attorney with HensonFuerst immediately.