More than 150 Cases in Tragedy Already Settled, But Up to 200 Victims Have Not Yet Taken Action; Peiffer Wolf: “We Want to Make Sure That Something Like This Never Happens Again.”
CLEVELAND, OH – February 5, 2020 – Less than a month remains for an estimated 200 victims to seek justice in the matter of the 4,000-embryo destruction at University Hospitals (UH) Fertility Clinic (UHFC), according to Cleveland law firm Peiffer Wolf Carr & Kane (Peiffer Wolf). The window for such filings closes on March 4, 2020, the second anniversary of the tragic losses for several hundred families in the region. For more information, go to https://www.uhembryolawsuit.com/.
Ahead of the fast-approaching deadline, Peiffer Wolf filed two new cases today in Geauga County Court of Common Pleas. The first involves a couple who lost nine eggs and has no children. The second case involves a Toledo-area couple who lost five embryos while trying to add a baby brother or sister to their family. In both cases, the victims have allowed the fact that they have filed to be public but are asking that their privacy be respected.
Adam Wolf, partner and attorney, Peiffer Wolf Carr & Kane, said: “For nearly two years, most of the facts and details in this matter have been buried by confidentiality. Through these two new cases, the opportunity to bring this information to light increases dramatically. We want to ensure that UH is held accountable for every victim and that these victims obtain compensation for their unimaginable loss. Additionally, we want to make sure that something like this never happens again.”
Joseph Peiffer, managing partner and attorney, Peiffer Wolf Carr & Kane, said: “Those who have not yet sought justice need to know this: There is still time to file your case against UH. Everyone processes their pain and trauma from the UH egg-and-embryo destruction in different ways. Our clients filing today were devastated and needed considerable time to come to terms with their losses. Now, they are seeking justice. UH can’t give back what it destroyed, but the victims and the community deserve answers.”
It is estimated that between 150-200 UH embryo destruction cases already have been resolved. No financial or other terms of settlements have been released to date.
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BACKGROUND
University Hospitals Fertility Clinic has admitted publicly that it “failed” in its handling of the embryo losses. It initially under-reported the estimated number of lost embryos and eggs at 2,000, and it followed up weeks later with a more accurate number of 4,000.
Since then, UH has disclosed additional information on what actually happened at the lab, including that the freezer tank needed preventative maintenance, that it was manually filling the malfunctioning tank from the top, that the embryology lab ran out of liquid nitrogen, and that the remote alarm on the affected tank, which was designed to alert UH staff to temperature fluctuations, was turned off.
ABOUT THE LAW FIRM
The law firm Peiffer Wolf Carr & Kane maintains offices in Cleveland, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Austin, and New Orleans. Peiffer Wolf has handled multiple cases in which fertility clinics were accused of either destroying or losing eggs and embryos. This is a highly technical area of law and science and, individuals seeking legal representation in the UHFC matter would be well advised to look to a law firm that has successfully handled such cases in the past.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Alex Frank, (216) 410-5978 or [email protected].
EDITOR’S NOTE:
A streaming version of the February 5, 2020 event will be available as of 5 p.m. ET on February 5th at https://www.uhembryolawsuit.com/.
FREE Consultation | 216-589-9280
Peiffer Wolf is nationally recognized for representing victims of fertility clinic misconduct, including destruction or loss of eggs and embryos. If your family has been a victim of fertility clinic misconduct, Contact Us by calling 216-589-9280 or by filling out an online Contact Form for a FREE Consultation.