27 Mar LAW FIRM SAY UHFC CLEARLY UNABLE TO MANAGE EMBRYO DESTRUCTION CRISIS AND CALLS FOR INDEPENDENT MONITOR
Experienced in Multiple Embryo/Cryogenic Loss Cases, Peiffer Wolf Carr & Kane Abdullah Carr & Kane Says News of 2,000 Additional Embryos Lost is “Unprecedented Tragedy” and “Requires A Responsible Third Party to Step in Now.”
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CLEVELAND, OH – March 27, 2018 – Cleveland law firm Peiffer Wolf Carr & Kane Abdullah Carr & Kane (PRW), which is nationally recognized for its handling of a number cases involving embryo loss/related cryogenic issues, issued a statement today responding to news that an additional 2000 eggs and embryos were destroyed by University Hospitals Fertility Clinic (UHFC). For details on the lawsuit filed by PRW on March 12th pertaining to the UHFC matter, go to https://pacificembryolawsuit.com//.
Speaking on behalf of PRW, Cleveland attorney Lydia Floyd said: “Our hearts go out to the families that are learning this week that 2,000 additional embryos and eggs have been destroyed by the University Hospitals Fertility Clinic. This is a shocking development that further compounds the tragedy that was announced earlier this month. For couples seeking to bring the blessing of children into their lives, this is an unspeakable loss. We hope that everyone will join us in our thoughts and prayers for these victims.”
“As a law firm that has handled multiple cases involving embryo destruction and loss, PRW is of the view that the UHFC situation is out of control and requires a responsible third party to step in now to handle this unprecedented tragedy. UHFC has demonstrated that it is clearly incapable of managing the situation. We need an independent monitor from the outside to step in and get this situation under control in the next few days. UHFC has demonstrated that it cannot be trusted to handle the matter and the community must demand a higher standard.”
Joseph Peiffer, managing shareholder at Peiffer Wolf Carr & Kane, continued:
“UHFC has to start telling the truth. Based on our interviews with victims, we do not believe that it is possible that all 2,000 of the additional embryos and eggs that they are confessing to have destroyed today were all tied to the original group of families suffering losses. We believe that hundreds of additional families and individuals must have suffered losses. It is time to ask the tough questions: How long has UHFC know about the additional losses? How many families did it reassure that their embryos and eggs were fine when, in fact, they already had been destroyed?”
“Of course, the real bottom line question is this: Given UHFC’s gross mismanagement of the situation so far, how can we be sure the full scope of the tragedy is known? Is there more bad news to come? Could they make further mistakes resulting in more losses? While we can hope for the best, it is clearly time to hand this situation over to a third-party that can ensure that things do not get worse.”
Lydia Floyd, who heads PRW’s Cleveland office, added:
“Finally, we want to commend Senator Joe Schiavoni for holding the town hall meeting last night to start the process of figuring out what legislative remedies are needed here. Senator Schiavoni correctly realizes that there is no safety net for Ohio families when it comes to an operation like UHFC. No one is watching them or regulating them and that has to be addressed so that this kind of tragedy never happens again. As a national leader on this topic, PRW will work with Ohio Sen. Schiavoni and others to get this important work done.”
PRW filed the lawsuit in the names of a Pennsylvania couple and on behalf of the originally estimated 700 victims of University Hospitals Health System, Inc., University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center, Inc., University Hospitals Medical Group, Inc., and University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, all of Ohio.
PWR has handled multiple cases in which fertility clinics were accused of either destroying or losing eggs and embryos. This is a highly specialized area of law and science and individuals seeking legal representation in the UHFC matter would be well advised to look to the law firm that has successfully handled such cases in the past.
The law firm Peiffer Wolf Carr & Kane Abdullah Carr & Kane maintains offices in Cleveland, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Missouri, and New Orleans. PRW is available on the web at https://prwlegal.com.
A copy of the March 26th letter sent by University Hospitals Fertility Clinic (UHFC) to effected families can be found here: http://bit.ly/032618UHFCletter.
CONTACTS: Alex Frank, (216) 410-5978 or [email protected].