Settlements Reached in 18 Las Vegas Endoscopy Clinic Hepatitis C Lawsuits

A Nevada judge has approved the settlement of 18 hepatitis C lawsuits filed by patients of two Las Vegas endoscopy centers that was shut down in 2008 due to unsafe medical practices that exposed thousands of patients to potential infection.

The Las Vegas endoscopy clinic settlements, which are for undisclosed amounts with Nevada Mutual Insurance Co., were reported last week by Courthouse News Service. The plaintiffs all claimed that they contracted hepatitis C as a result of unsanitary practices at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada and Desert Shadow Endoscopy Center , including reuse of syringes and vials of medication intended for only single-patient use.

In February 2008, health officials shut the clinics down after identifying the problems, and over 40,000 former patients were advised by the Southern Nevada Health District to get tested for potentially fatal blood-borne diseases like Hepatitis C or HIV.

Did You Know?

Millions of Philips CPAP Machines Recalled

Philips DreamStation, CPAP and BiPAP machines sold in recent years may pose a risk of cancer, lung damage and other injuries.

Learn More

Hepatitis C is an infectious disease that can cause liver damage, including liver failure, cirrhosis and liver cancer. It is technically incurable, but very effective treatment has been able to eradicate the disease in some of those who contract it.

Attempts to certify a hepatitis C class-action lawsuit on the basis of emotional distress on behalf of thousands of former patients of the clinic failed in 2008, but more than 250 patients who suspect they contracted hepatitis C from the clinic filed individual lawsuits.

There were concerns among those involved in the litigation about the limited insurance coverage and assets available to satisfy all of the infection lawsuits filed, as it was previously reported that the clinic’s insurance policy was only $3 million.

3 Comments

  • TracySeptember 13, 2021 at 2:37 pm

    My girl friend at the time Carol Newkirt was using this clinic in 2008.Should I worry about getting checked .And was there any compensation for spouses and ex,s

  • AliviaJanuary 24, 2011 at 10:33 am

    The GI doctor presecribed my mom mercaptopurine and my mom die after 2 weeks. Lately i found out the medication is a chemotherapy pill and my mom has no cancer. Do I have a case.

  • TOYAJanuary 5, 2011 at 5:41 pm

    HI DOES ANY ONE KNOW WHO THE LAWYER WASFOR THIS CASE. THANXS

Share Your Comments

I authorize the above comments be posted on this page*

Want your comments reviewed by a lawyer?

To have an attorney review your comments and contact you about a potential case, provide your contact information below. This will not be published.

NOTE: Providing information for review by an attorney does not form an attorney-client relationship.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

More Top Stories

Gardasil Lawsuits Over Failure To Warn Doctors About HPV Vaccine Risks Cleared To Move Forward
Gardasil Lawsuits Over Failure To Warn Doctors About HPV Vaccine Risks Cleared To Move Forward (Posted today)

A federal judge has cleared Gardasil lawsuits to move forward, after paring down plaintiffs' claims to those alleging Merck either failed to warn, or fraudulently concealed, the HPV vaccine's risks from the medical community.