Another Lawsuit in Hepatitis C Outbreak

Another lawsuit has been filed in a hepatitis C outbreak that has infected patients in Exeter and Kansas.

Prosecutors said the outbreak was caused by medical technician Dave Kwiatkowski, who allegedly spread his hepatitis C to at least 32 patients in Exeter and two in Kansas by injecting himself with their medication to get high. A class-action lawsuit was recently filed by some of the Exeter victims against Exeter Hospital and a staffing company that employed Kwiatkowski.

Kwiatkowski was a "traveler" – a medical technician who was placed at hospitals all over the country.

Today, several law firms representing one of the Kansas victims announced their intention to sue UPMC Presbyterian, a hospital in Pittsburgh, Penn. where Kwiatkowski worked, a two other staffing agencies – Maxim Staffing Solutions and Medical Solutions.

An Associated Press investigation uncovered that Kwiatkowksi allegedly stole medication at UPMC Presbyterian to get high. He was fired, but the hospital didn't notify law enforcement, the AP reported.

“The fact is, UPMC, Maxim Staffing Solutions, and Medical Solutions could have taken common sense actions that would have prevented these tragedies,” said William R. Caroselli of the Pittsburgh-based law firm Caroselli, Beachler, McTiernan & Conboy, in a statement.

The firm is representing Thomas Walters, one of two patients at Hays Medical Center in Kansas who officials said contracted a form of hepatitis C resembling Kwiatkowski's.

“Because of each company’s reckless negligence, Thomas Walters and potentially thousands of patients across the country are paying the price," Caroselli said. "Those companies need to be held accountable.”