EXETER — A second medical staffing agency is fighting efforts by Exeter Hospital to get them to contribute toward legal settlements paid to 188 patients who tested negative during a hepatitis C outbreak caused by a former technician feeding his drug habit.
“New Hampshire law simply does not permit recovery for emotional distress,” Ralph Suozzo, an attorney for Triage Staffing Inc. said in a court motion.
Exeter Hospital filed a lawsuit against a half dozen staffing agencies they say are responsible for allowing former technician David Kwiatkowski to remain in the medical field while knowing about his drug habit that led to dozens of patients being infected with hepatitis C.
Exeter Hospital paid settlements to 188 former patients who tested negative for the virus, and another 33 former patients who were infected by Kwiatkowski.
“Triage, among others, played a significant role in enabling Kwiatkowski to serially infect hospital patients,” Robert Dewhirst, a lawyer for Exeter Hospital, said in a court motion.
Exeter Hospital, like many, relies on third-party staffing agencies to identify and screen potential medical personnel to fill short-term vacancies, according to Dewhirst.
Kwiatkowski was referred to Exeter Hospital by Triage, and he began work on April 11, 2011, Dewhirst said in a court motion.
The hospital is alleging that Triage violated its contractual duties by recommending Kwiatkowski. A judge will have to decide whether the hospital can pursue the reimbursements. More than 3,000 former patients were tested after Kwiatkowski was arrested in 2012.
Kwiatkowski, 34, was sentenced to 39 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges that he infected patients at Exeter Hospital between April 2011 and May 2012 through drug diversion. He spread hepatitis C to unwitting patients by injecting himself with the painkiller fentanyl then allowed the dirty needles to be used by patients. Exeter Hospital and state health officials began investigating the hepatitis C outbreak in May 2012. Kwiatkowski was fired or resigned from four Michigan health facilities between 2003 and 2007 amid investigations into his unlawful use of controlled drugs.
“New Hampshire law simply does not permit recovery for emotional distress,” Ralph Suozzo, an attorney for Triage Staffing Inc. said in a court motion.
Exeter Hospital filed a lawsuit against a half dozen staffing agencies they say are responsible for allowing former technician David Kwiatkowski to remain in the medical field while knowing about his drug habit that led to dozens of patients being infected with hepatitis C.
Exeter Hospital paid settlements to 188 former patients who tested negative for the virus, and another 33 former patients who were infected by Kwiatkowski.
“Triage, among others, played a significant role in enabling Kwiatkowski to serially infect hospital patients,” Robert Dewhirst, a lawyer for Exeter Hospital, said in a court motion.
Exeter Hospital, like many, relies on third-party staffing agencies to identify and screen potential medical personnel to fill short-term vacancies, according to Dewhirst.
Kwiatkowski was referred to Exeter Hospital by Triage, and he began work on April 11, 2011, Dewhirst said in a court motion.
The hospital is alleging that Triage violated its contractual duties by recommending Kwiatkowski. A judge will have to decide whether the hospital can pursue the reimbursements. More than 3,000 former patients were tested after Kwiatkowski was arrested in 2012.
Kwiatkowski, 34, was sentenced to 39 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges that he infected patients at Exeter Hospital between April 2011 and May 2012 through drug diversion. He spread hepatitis C to unwitting patients by injecting himself with the painkiller fentanyl then allowed the dirty needles to be used by patients. Exeter Hospital and state health officials began investigating the hepatitis C outbreak in May 2012. Kwiatkowski was fired or resigned from four Michigan health facilities between 2003 and 2007 amid investigations into his unlawful use of controlled drugs.
EXETER
— A second medical staffing agency is fighting efforts by Exeter
Hospital to get them to contribute toward legal settlements paid to 188
patients who tested negative during a hepatitis C outbreak caused by a
former technician feeding his drug habit.
“New Hampshire law simply does not permit recovery for emotional distress,” Ralph Suozzo, an attorney for Triage Staffing Inc. said in a court motion.
Exeter Hospital filed a lawsuit against a half dozen staffing agencies they say are responsible for allowing former technician David Kwiatkowski to remain in the medical field while knowing about his drug habit that led to dozens of patients being infected with hepatitis C.
Exeter Hospital paid settlements to 188 former patients who tested negative for the virus, and another 33 former patients who were infected by Kwiatkowski.
“Triage, among others, played a significant role in enabling Kwiatkowski to serially infect hospital patients,” Robert Dewhirst, a lawyer for Exeter Hospital, said in a court motion.
Exeter Hospital, like many, relies on third-party staffing agencies to identify and screen potential medical personnel to fill short-term vacancies, according to Dewhirst.
Kwiatkowski was referred to Exeter Hospital by Triage, and he began work on April 11, 2011, Dewhirst said in a court motion.
The hospital is alleging that Triage violated its contractual duties by recommending Kwiatkowski. A judge will have to decide whether the hospital can pursue the reimbursements. More than 3,000 former patients were tested after Kwiatkowski was arrested in 2012.
Kwiatkowski, 34, was sentenced to 39 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges that he infected patients at Exeter Hospital between April 2011 and May 2012 through drug diversion. He spread hepatitis C to unwitting patients by injecting himself with the painkiller fentanyl then allowed the dirty needles to be used by patients. Exeter Hospital and state health officials began investigating the hepatitis C outbreak in May 2012. Kwiatkowski was fired or resigned from four Michigan health facilities between 2003 and 2007 amid investigations into his unlawful use of controlled drugs. - See more at: http://www.unionleader.com/article/20160630/NEWS21/160629190/-1/mobile?template=mobileart#sthash.JaSre4ck.dpuf
“New Hampshire law simply does not permit recovery for emotional distress,” Ralph Suozzo, an attorney for Triage Staffing Inc. said in a court motion.
Exeter Hospital filed a lawsuit against a half dozen staffing agencies they say are responsible for allowing former technician David Kwiatkowski to remain in the medical field while knowing about his drug habit that led to dozens of patients being infected with hepatitis C.
Exeter Hospital paid settlements to 188 former patients who tested negative for the virus, and another 33 former patients who were infected by Kwiatkowski.
“Triage, among others, played a significant role in enabling Kwiatkowski to serially infect hospital patients,” Robert Dewhirst, a lawyer for Exeter Hospital, said in a court motion.
Exeter Hospital, like many, relies on third-party staffing agencies to identify and screen potential medical personnel to fill short-term vacancies, according to Dewhirst.
Kwiatkowski was referred to Exeter Hospital by Triage, and he began work on April 11, 2011, Dewhirst said in a court motion.
The hospital is alleging that Triage violated its contractual duties by recommending Kwiatkowski. A judge will have to decide whether the hospital can pursue the reimbursements. More than 3,000 former patients were tested after Kwiatkowski was arrested in 2012.
Kwiatkowski, 34, was sentenced to 39 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges that he infected patients at Exeter Hospital between April 2011 and May 2012 through drug diversion. He spread hepatitis C to unwitting patients by injecting himself with the painkiller fentanyl then allowed the dirty needles to be used by patients. Exeter Hospital and state health officials began investigating the hepatitis C outbreak in May 2012. Kwiatkowski was fired or resigned from four Michigan health facilities between 2003 and 2007 amid investigations into his unlawful use of controlled drugs. - See more at: http://www.unionleader.com/article/20160630/NEWS21/160629190/-1/mobile?template=mobileart#sthash.JaSre4ck.dpuf
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