Personal Injury Law

Northwestern Doctor Exposes Patients and Visitors to TB

By Jamie G. Goldstein

Over the past ten months, a doctor at Northwestern Hospital in Chicago has potentially exposed hundreds of patients and visitors, including infants and children to tuberculosis or TB. The doctor-in-training was working as a pediatric resident at three different hospitals during this time. Northwestern recently disclosed the potential exposure to patients and visitors.

Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that can harm the lungs and may spread throughout the body. If left untreated, it can cause death. Symptoms of TB are cough, chills, night sweats and weight loss. If you believe you were exposed to TB, you should contact your medical provider immediately for testing. A skin test is used to detect TB and may be given by your medical provider.

If you believe you contracted TB as a result of exposure at a Chicago hospital, after seeking medical treatment, you should contact an attorney immediately to learn about what legal action you may take against the hospital. You may be able to recover for injuries that resulted from the exposure.

Full post as published by Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer on April 21, 2009 (boomark / email).