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This is why I love trial lawyers and you should too! Pennsylvania has no cap, this frivolous case never would have been filed had MICRA laws been in place.
JH
Pennsylvania pap smear lawsuit dismissed
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (AP) -- A judge dismissed a lawsuit that claimed thousands of Pap smears at the University of Pittsburgh's Magee-Womens Hospital were faulty or never reviewed by doctors.
Judge Robert P. Horgos ruled Thursday the women involved suffered no physical harm, and fear of being at increased risk of serious medical illness isn't enough to warrant recovery of damages.
"The gist of (the suit) is that a physician's reproduced signature appeared on the Pap smear report when a cytotechnologist actually reviewed the Pap smear," Horgos wrote.
Cytotechnologists are medical professionals trained to analyze Pap smears. When a cytotechnologist sees a discrepancy, a pathologist is notified, which is accepted practice, said hospital attorney William Pietragallo.
An attorney for plaintiffs Christine Walter and Sharon King called the ruling "a sad day for women in Pittsburgh."
The women had accused the hospital of negligence, fraud and unjust enrichment and were also seeking court-ordered testing for an estimated 40,000 women who had Pap smears between 1995 and 2001.
JH
Pennsylvania pap smear lawsuit dismissed
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (AP) -- A judge dismissed a lawsuit that claimed thousands of Pap smears at the University of Pittsburgh's Magee-Womens Hospital were faulty or never reviewed by doctors.
Judge Robert P. Horgos ruled Thursday the women involved suffered no physical harm, and fear of being at increased risk of serious medical illness isn't enough to warrant recovery of damages.
"The gist of (the suit) is that a physician's reproduced signature appeared on the Pap smear report when a cytotechnologist actually reviewed the Pap smear," Horgos wrote.
Cytotechnologists are medical professionals trained to analyze Pap smears. When a cytotechnologist sees a discrepancy, a pathologist is notified, which is accepted practice, said hospital attorney William Pietragallo.
An attorney for plaintiffs Christine Walter and Sharon King called the ruling "a sad day for women in Pittsburgh."
The women had accused the hospital of negligence, fraud and unjust enrichment and were also seeking court-ordered testing for an estimated 40,000 women who had Pap smears between 1995 and 2001.
