Syracuse, New York: Scope Infection Lawsuits

Jed Dietrich, Esq., Recognized as a Super Lawyer and American Institute of Trial Lawyers Litigator of the Year, is Committed to Defending the Rights of Syracuse Families. If You or a Loved One Has Been Diagnosed with a Serious Bacterial Infection or Other Illness Caused By a Contaminated Endoscope, You Could Be Entitled to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit for Significant Compensation. Contact Us Today to Find Out How Much Your Case Could Be Worth.

If you have ever had an endoscopy, your doctor probably used a scope made by Olympus.

Even though Olympus is headquartered in Japan, its products are used by doctors throughout the United States. According to some estimates, nearly 70% of all endoscopes on the market were manufactured by Olympus. These devices serve many important purposes. Doctors use them to diagnose conditions like cancer, collect tissue samples, and treat internal injuries.

However, even though an endoscope is often easier on the body than a scalpel, these tools are not without risks.

According to an alarming series of reports, some of Olympus’s most popular scopes are dangerously defective. They are built with incredibly intricate components, including elevator mechanisms, sealed hinges, and internal electronics channels. These components are difficult to remove and, by extension, hard to clean. Even when proper sterilization procedures are followed to the letter, some bacteria can become trapped in these little nooks and crannies.

Olympus, though, has largely refused to recognize that its scopes could be dangerous.

In 2018, the company was forced to pay $85 million in fines and fees after a federal court found that it had concealed information about disease outbreaks in Europe. In each case, investigators found that patients had fallen seriously sick after being infected with residual bacteria present on scopes that had already been cleaned and sterilized.

“Medical devices, such as the Olympus duodenoscope that is used in 500,000 procedures per year in the United States, can extend and improve the quality of life for many people,” a Justice Department official said at the time. “But when a device manufacturer becomes aware of risks that could lead to illness, injury, or death, there is a statutory obligation to report that information to the FDA in a timely manner. By failing to do so, Olympus put patients’ health at risk.”

You deserve to know how a medical procedure could affect your quality of life.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a serious illness caused by an Olympus medical scope, you could be entitled to significant compensation. A recognized U.S. News & World Report Best Law Firm, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. has spent decades helping New York families stand up to some of the country’s biggest medical device manufacturers. Please send us a message online or call us today at 315-839-3939 to speak to an Olympus scope injury lawyer near Syracuse and schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation.

Medical scopes are complex devices.

Endoscopes may not look very complicated, but they contain a variety of expensive and complicated components. These include cameras, lights, flexible tubing, and movable internal parts that can make their way deep inside the body.

The complexity of most endoscopes means that they can be difficult to clean. Health officials have found that, in some cases, dangerous bacteria can become trapped in:

1. The scope’s elevator mechanism;
2. Microscopic grooves and internal channels;
3. Sealed electronics compartments;
4. Hinged internal components;
5. Other hard-to-reach pieces, parts, and surfaces.

Even if hospital staff are diligent about sterilization, germs can still survive in isolated nooks and crannies.

The risks associated with contaminated medical scopes are immense.

Patients exposed to contaminated endoscopes and duodenoscopes have been diagnosed with conditions including, but not limited to, the following:

1. Severe bacterial infections;
2. Sepsis;
3. Pneumonia;
4. Internal tissue damage;
5. Internal organ damage;
6. Bloodstream infections;
7. Antibiotic-resistant illnesses.

Some scope-related outbreaks have resulted in fatalities. In the United States, health officials believe that several dozen patients have died after developing infections caused by defective endoscopes.

Olympus continues to be scrutinized by regulators and health advocates.

Over the course of the past decade, federal investigators have repeatedly accused Olympus of misleading the public about the safety of its medical scopes. In 2018, for instance, Olympus paid an estimated $85 million in fines and fees after a federal court found that it withheld critical information from the Food and Drug Administration.

“Olympus failed to file important FDA reports regarding adverse events,” then-U.S. Attorney Rachael Honig said in a press release. “It is especially troubling that they remained quiet when they received additional information from an independent expert questioning the safety of Olympus’ device. Patient safety must always be a paramount concern for medical device companies, and these defendants simply failed to treat that concern with the gravity it deserves.”

Patients and personal injury lawyers across the country have raised similar concerns.

If you think that you have been injured by an Olympus scope, you could have a case, too. However, filing a lawsuit is often much easier than fighting one. Companies like Olympus have near-limitless resources, and they have spent years defending themselves from lawsuits like yours.

In all probability, you will need much more than a diagnosis to negotiate a settlement or win a court-ordered award.

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. has spent decades filing, fighting, and winning high-stakes product liability lawsuits. Our experienced team of Olympus scope injury lawyers knows what it takes to build a compelling, evidence-based case for compensation, and we have the results to prove it.

Depending on the circumstances of your claim, we could help you build a better, stronger case by taking steps, including, but not limited to, the following:

1. Investigating the cause of a bacterial infection or other illness;
2. Coordinating with your doctor to obtain medical records and secure other key evidence;
3. Subpoenaing Olympus to ensure that any evidence relevant to your case is preserved for discovery;
4. Consulting expert witnesses, people with extensive professional experience who can assess your injury and identify how, if at all, a contaminated scope could have caused it;
5. Advocating for your rights, whether in insurance negotiations or at trial.

Since our founding in 2005, we have helped our clients in and around Syracuse secure more than $300 million in damages. We could help you, too, but you have to act fast. Call Jed Dietrich, Esq., today at 315-839-3939 to speak to a personal injury lawyer near Syracuse and schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.

Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 315-839-3939 so that our aggressive, tenacious, and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Syracuse, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!