Associated Press Published

Judge Hears Arguments in Possible Hepatitis Exposure Case

Gavel

Arguments have been presented in the case involving patients possibly exposed to hepatitis at Beckley’s Raleigh Heart Clinic.

WVVA-TV reports attorney Steve New, who represents 65 of the 140 patients, asked Judge H.L. Kirkpatrick Thursday to consider their cases as part of a class action lawsuit, saying his clients contracted hepatitis from the clinic.

The clinic’s attorney, Don Sensabaugh, asked that the cases be tried separately.

The state Department of Health and Human Resources sent letters to over 2,300 clinic patients in March, saying they may have been exposed to hepatitis B and C as well as HIV.

At the time, officials said they were investigating 12 cases of hepatitis linked to injectable medications given during cardiac stress tests.

Kirkpatrick will make his ruling at a later date.