With so many Pennsylvania couples facing the heartbreaking reality of infertility, advances in reproductive technology has allowed for many to become parents. Clinics across the country now offer services to aid those who are suffering from infertility but still wish to become parents. Fertility clinics often perform artificial reproductive technologies and hold embryos in a frozen state while parents seek surrogates to carry their long-awaited child. One clinic is in the midst of a medical malpractice lawsuit after negligence has left over 4000 embryos and eggs destroyed.
A clinic in another state reported that a temperature fluctuation in a tank that is used to store frozen embryos and eggs caused over 4000 specimens to become unviable. At the time of the incident, a remote alarm, which notifies staff that the tank is in danger of reaching dangerously high temperatures, had been turned off. The lawsuit also claims that the tanks needed maintenance, which was not rendered, even though the issue had been known by hospital staff for weeks.
Because the mechanism that normally supplied the holding tanks with liquid nitrogen was not working, hospital staff would fill the tank manually, which may have contributed to the temperature rise. The manufacturer reported that these specific tanks were not meant to be filled from the top. The couples being represented are seeking the maximum amount in punitive damages.
Pennsylvania couples who face infertility have many resources available to help them realize their dream of becoming parents. When a trusted medical professional or clinic is negligent, the effects can have serious financial and emotional ramifications for the intended parents. Filing a medical malpractice lawsuit with the assistance of an attorney may help to recoup some of the costs lost due to the negligent actions of the hospital and the staff.
Source: cleveland.com, “New information from University Hospitals raises stakes in fertility clinic lawsuits, lawyers say“, James F. McCarty, March 31, 2018