Hospital Pharmacy Tech Steals Painkillers from Patients in Severe Pain. Patients Sue Hospital for Negligence

PITTSBURGH - Sept. 13, 2017 - PRLog -- This morning, Alan Perer and Jennifer Webster, lawyers at SPK, filed suit against Jefferson Regional Medical Center in the Court of Common pleas in Allegheny County, on behalf of 16 former patients or their survivors.

In 2012, it was discovered that a pharmacy technician had been stealing pain relief pills containing oxycodone prescribed to the patients, and substituting other non-painkilling prescription pills. The patients had been diagnosed as suffering severe enough pain to warrant the use of a strong narcotic.  Instead, they reportedly may have been given pills meant to treat such conditions as thyroid disorders.

The patients included some being treated for quite intense pain, such as post-surgical and late stage cancer. The diversion of pills went on for months and may have affected over 300 patients at the hospital at that time.

Filing of the suit was delayed due to procedural issues that would eventually prevent the case going forward as a class action.

The lawsuit charges Jefferson Regional Medical Center (also called Jefferson Hospital) with negligence in failing to protect the patients from drug thief and substitution, and the failure and absence of proper security measures to prevent such a thing from happening.

The actual Complaint filed in this case can be downloaded at:
https://we.tl/lWDqfO0Z89

SPK – the law firm of Swensen and Perer is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The firm has a long history of success in protecting the rights of medical patients and providing vigorous representation for those who have been harmed by poor medical care and negligence.