Morristown Meningitis Lawyer

Meningitis Cases

At The Bowlin Law Firm, our legal team is are representing victims of the recent outbreak of Meningitis in Tennessee that are the result of contaminated epidural steroid injections, scientifically termed methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) epidural injections. These injections took place at three separate Tennessee pain clinics, between the dates of June 27 – Sept 28, 2012. The medication has since been recalled. There are a large number of innocent people who were treated by doctors that were unaware that the medication they administered had been contaminated. The clinics where the injections took place are the Saint Thomas in Nashville, the Specialty Surgery Center in Crossville, and PCA Pain Care Center of Oak Ridge.

Filing a Lawsuit in a Meningitis Case in Tennessee

Our Morristown personal injury law firm is here to assist those who have been infected by the contaminated medication. Legal action must be taken to both seek justice and to pursue compensation for all damages, both economic and non-economic. Families that have lost a treasured family member who innocently sought relief from pain and was subsequently injected with the medication and died can pursue compensation through a wrongful death suit.

We are zealous advocates for justice for those who have suffered this tragic consequence of negligent practices by the company involved in distributing the medication, as well as any other possible responsible parties. We have a great deal of experience in filing lawsuit and claims for serious injuries and illnesses, and offer our services to the injured and their families throughout the state of Tennessee.

We urge you to contact us immediately so that your case is managed professionally.

We have arranged our schedules so that we are available immediately to assist you. This is a terrible and tragic situation for the people of Tennessee who were injected with the medication. Our Hamblen County injury attorney can meet with you at once to help you determine what to do legally, and we are available for victims throughout the entire state.

Information about Meningitis Outbreak in Tennessee and Other States

The illness contracted by these innocent patients is very serious, and has led to 5 deaths and many more that contracted the disease and survived. The number of individuals with the illness has been the highest in the state of Tennessee, and as of mid-November, 2012 there have been 81 patients who have are confirmed to have contracted the illness, and several deaths. There are approximately 14,000 individuals throughout the country exposed to this serious illness. The CDC also reports that some patients have a condition in which a spinal epidural abcess or arachnoiditis that are related to having the contaminated injections. Arachnoiditis is a serious condition in which the membranes surrounding the nerves in the central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord, becomes extremely inflamed, which can have long term health repercussions, as the nerves can become damaged and stick together, ceasing to function properly, and can be the source of terrible pain for the patient.

Federal authorities report that they had identified the fungal contaminants in a vial of the medication at the compounding laboratory in Massachusetts that is alleged to have been the source of the dangerous contaminated medicine. The steroid injections are most often used by medical professionals to alleviate pain, such as back pain, shoulder pain or other types of joint or muscle pain. The rare form of meningitis is called "aspergillus meningitis." Aspergillis fumigatus is a mold that is common in the environment but can be deadly if injected. The CDC and the FCA have also confirmed the presence of another fungus called Exserohilum rostratum in two separate unopened vials of the medication.

Possible Treatments

Treatments for the disease, if initiated early, can be effective, but unfortunately, the anti-fungal medications, such as vorconazole, can have serious toxic side effects including liver or kidney damage. State and federal health authorities are working hard to determine what treatment can assist those who got the injections and will be the most effective for the particular fungus found in the medication. The disease is not contagious, but can be recognized by certain symptoms, including headache, numbness, stiff neck, confusion and slurred speech, as well as fever. These symptoms occur slowly, whereas a more common form of meningitis has symptoms that occur very quickly.

Origins of the Disease

The company that is believed to be responsible for the contaminated medication is the New England Compounding Center (NECC), located in Massachusetts. The FDA is heavily involved in the case, and the owner of the facility has been called up in front of a Senate Committee Hearing, where he invoked the 5^th Amendment on the advice of his legal counsel.

There were 17,676 contaminated vials of the medication, all single-dose vials. These recalled lots of the steroid injection were distributed throughout several states, including Tennessee. If you or a loved one was injected at any of the three pain clinics in the state, contact our firm immediately. As the symptoms develop slowly, it is vital that you are very careful and understand the possible symptoms and that your health is carefully watched by the best possible medical professional for the next several months or longer.