Attorney for University Hospitals Egg, Embryo Freezer Malfunction
Recently, University Hospitals in Ohio (otherwise known as UH) notified about 700 fertility patients that their frozen eggs and embryos were damaged due to rise of temperature in a storage bank. Some of the samples had been preserved for over thirty years.
The malfunctioning freezer occurred in the afternoon, but was not discovered until the next morning because staff had left the facility. The liquid nitrogen freezer contained about 2,000 specimens, including eggs and embryos. Various checks and balances that were supposed to be in place to avoid such a catastrophic event failed. There was supposed to be off site monitoring where an alarm was to alert staff to any rise of temperature that could be harmful. When staff arrived the next day the alarm was sounding, but nothing had been done. It is not yet clear how many eggs and embryos were harmed.
The attorneys at Triscaro & Associates are currently reviewing claims associated with this catastrophic event. Numerous families have felt a tremendous loss. If you or a loved one have been affected due to this incident, please call Attorney Joe Triscaro at 440-248-8811 to discuss your options.