Lawsuits Linked to the Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Filed Against NECC

Posted on Nov 05, 2012

Thousands of patients who have received steroid shots in their backs for pain over the past few months have been exposed to rare fungal meningitis. Sadly, many victims have been injured or have died as a result of these contaminated steroids made by a Massachusetts compounding pharmacy.

The death toll recently rose to 20, and 254 cases of fungal meningitis have been identified so far; however, the number continues to climb. There are victims in many different states including: Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

Separate lawsuits are being filed in some of the above states against the New England Compounding Center (NECC), the pharmacy at the center of this nationwide fungal meningitis outbreak.

Minnesota had the first lawsuit filed by an injured woman on October 11, 2012.

• This suit seeks compensation for bodily harm, emotional distress and other personal injuries due to the sale of the “defective and dangerously contaminated steroid.”

Michigan residents who were harmed also filed lawsuits to include:

• A class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of Michigan residents who were sickened by the contaminated steroid.

Florida also is involved in filing a lawsuit to include:

• A Florida woman spent a week in intensive care after receiving two steroid injections in her back following a car crash. She is claiming negligence and strict liability.

Tennessee residents who were harmed or families of those who have lost a loved one are filing suits to include:

• A $15 million suit was filed on behalf of Colette Rybinski, who lost her husband Thomas due to the meningitis outbreak.
• A $15 million lawsuit was filed by Robert and Janet Russell due to the stroke, disfigurement and permanent disabilities Mrs. Russell has suffered following her injection.

In Virginia, victims also have filed lawsuits to include:

• A $5 million claim was filed by 80-year-old Basil Proffitt. The lawsuit stated that he became deathly ill after receiving a tainted injection in a Roanoke clinic.
• A $10 million claim was filed by Mary Radford. She also claims she received the contaminated steroid at a Roanoke clinic and was harmed.

If you have become ill after your injection, or if you have lost a loved one due to the contaminated drug, call the pharmacy malpractice lawyers at Kennedy Hodges L.L.P. for help filing a lawsuit today.

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