Victim of Salem Hospital HIV, Hepatitis Exposure Wants Answers

Contact Keches Law Group to Join the Class Action Lawsuit

Since filing a class action lawsuit against Mass General Brigham, Salem Hospital, and 10 hospital employees on behalf of our client Melinda Cashman, Keches Law Group has been getting more and more calls from potential victims.

On Friday, November 17, Keches Law Attorney Jeff Catalano explained how victims are trying to deal with the situation.

“They’re going to the internet and Google to get answers for what a medical professional should be telling them,” he said.

He said potential victims deserve to get the answers they need, and Keches Law wants to help.

“They are in the dark about how this happened and how this impacts their their future health,” he said. “This lawsuit is to get them answers they have a right to know.”

Salem Hospital HIV, Hepatitis Exposure

Between June 2021 and April 2023, endoscopy patients at Salem Hospital had procedures performed in a manner not consistent with best practices. In a statement, the hospital indicated that nearly 450 patients could potentially have been exposed to HIV or Hepatitis B or C.

Catalano explained that uncertainty caused by the hospital’s actions have caused patients significant emotional stress.

“People are feeling betrayed,” he said.

Melinda Cashman’s Experience

Cashman said she came home from work on a Friday and had a letter from the hospital explaining that she may have been exposed to an infection and she needed to be tested. It was unable to contact them until Monday, and when she did talk to them then, she didn’t get the answers she needed.

“A piece of equipment used was supposed to be single-use, but was used on multiple people,” she said.

When she was tested and the results were sent to her, Cashman said she didn’t know how to read them or what they meant.

“I still don’t know what piece of equipment they’re talking about,” she said. “Or how many people it was used on.”

Attorney Jonathan Sweet said this experience is far from unique and the hospital hasn’t been transparent.

“The hospital learned earlier this year—their words, not mine,” he said. “It’s November. Why did it take so long to notify patients?”

The Class Action Lawsuit Against Mass General Brigham

Catalano said Keches Law is receiving more calls about the class action lawsuit.

“Patients are worried about themselves, but also about the people they’ve come in contact with over the last year or two,” Sweet said. “This is a very unsettling, anxiety-causing situation caused by the hospital.”

Cashman said even if her tests are negative, she knows people with these conditions can have them lay dormant for years before causing problems.

“I am the sole caregiver for two people who are 79 and 84—one has dementia,” she said. “What are they going to do if something happens to me that I can’t fix?”

Contact Keches Law

If you or a loved one was one of the hundreds of victims, contact Keches Law. Let our experienced and knowledgeable attorneys answer your questions and help you take control of the situation.