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Federal Officials Confirm Breach in Safety Protocol Resulted in First Transmission of Ebola Virus within United States

Posted in Firm News

A worker at a hospital in Texas has tested positive for the Ebola virus after having treated an African man for the virus earlier this month. According to an article from the Wall Street Journal, the original patient from Liberia who was in the United States to visit family was being treated at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas for the virus last week.

The man contracted the virus in Africa but began to show symptoms in the United States and died from the illness late last week. According to federal officials, the healthcare worker who has contracted the virus from him was exposed because of a failure to follow the proper safety protocol for treating a patient infected with Ebola, and an investigation continues.

When patients are being treated by extremely contagious diseases like the Ebola virus, health treatment facilities and doctors are required to conform to safety procedures that reduce or eliminate the risk of accidental transmission of the disease. These procedures and protocols are designed to uphold the professional standard of care that doctors and hospitals owe to other patients. If a patient arrives at a hospital to be treated for one illness, and then contracts another illness from a different patient, the hospital or medical professionals involved can be held responsible if they failed to follow the proper protocols and standard of care for treating the patients involved.

It is not always possible for medical professionals to prevent every transmission of infectious diseases between patients in their care. This is especially true with diseases like Ebola. Since Ebola is such a volatile and contagious disease, the protocols that have been set up by American hospitals must be strictly followed. The federal officials’ findings, as cited in the article, that “there was a breach in safety protocol at the hospital that treated the Ebola patient who died last week,” demonstrate that somebody failed to follow that protocol, which has now resulted in the first transmission of this deadly disease on American soil.

If a New Mexico doctor or medical center fails to follow the proper standard of care and a patient of theirs is infected with a disease as a result, the responsible care providers can be held responsible by the victim’s filing of a New Mexico medical malpractice lawsuit. Although not every disease transmission is the result of medical negligence, medical professionals are trained to care for patients in specific dangerous circumstances. If a medical professional fails to meet that standard and causes a patient to contract an illness as a result, that patient should be entitled to damages.

Have You Suffered from Medical Malpractice?

If you or a loved one has been infected with a disease while being treated by a medical professional for another illness or injury, you may be entitled to damages for medical malpractice. The New Mexico medical malpractice attorneys at The Fine Law Firm have the experience that is needed to find out quickly if your illness or injury could be the result of medical malpractice. Get the compensation you deserve and contact us today. The Fine Law Firm represents clients in a variety of New Mexico negligence cases, including medical malpractice. Call today at (585) 889-3463 or reach us online to schedule a free consultation.

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