Blood donor sues Red Cross for malpractice over donation jab

adamg — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 12:15:20 +0000

A Hopedale man alleges that poor needlework by a Red Cross worker at a blood-donation drive, coupled with bad followup medical advice from the Red Cross, has left him with permanent, excruciating pain that now keeps him from doing much of anything.

In a lawsuit, originally filed in Middlesex Superior Court but recently transferred to US District Court in Boston, John J. Fitzgerald says his trouble started at a blood drive at the Hopkinton Congregational Church on Feb. 24, 2009. An employee identified only as "Jane Doe" prepped him and inserted the needle, but another worker noticed bruising - a sign of internal bleeding - stopped the blood taking and said the needle had been put in "too far."

Fitzgerald said the Ace bandage and ice pack workers gave him did little to staunch the increasing pain and tenderness; nor did the hot soaks he said the Red Cross told him to apply when he called help. Still in pain a few weeks later, he saw a variety of physicians, who said the bleeding in his arm had damaged his nerves and resulted in "severe, debilitating pain, known as complex regional pain syndrome."

"His pain is severe and prevents him from engaging in any activities," his complaint alleges.

The Red Cross has yet to respond to the suit.

Complete complaint.

Boycott blood donations?

adamg — Fri, 19 Aug 2005 11:54:19 +0000

Jeremiah doesn't like that the Red Cross won't take blood from gay men or people with tattoos, so he's calling for a boycott on blood donations until it changes the policy. He doesn't discuss what would happen if people took him up on it and he showed up at the hospital after, say, a bad car accident.