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Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Law - Louisville's "Jewish Hospital sues lawyers who unsuccessfully sued it"
Jason Riley of the Louisville Courier Journal reports today in a story that begins:
Nearly 100 people from across Kentucky and Indiana filed lawsuits against Jewish Hospital during the past three years, claiming they or a relative suffered illness or death because of an infection caused by unsanitary conditions.But 84 of the 96 lawsuits have been dismissed, most after the two main lawyers who filed the cases withdrew late last year, telling clients they couldn't afford to continue. The remaining suits will be dismissed if new lawyers are not found.
Now Jewish Hospital is suing the two lawyers, Joseph White and Michael O'Connell, and their law firms, alleging they tarnished the hospital's reputation with statements to the media that they knew were false and misleading.
The hospital claims the lawyers never attempted to take the cases to trial, instead trying to force a settlement "in the face of false and adverse publicity."
The lawsuit alleges White and O'Connell withdrew because their suits had no merit. At least five of the cases were dismissed by judges before making it to trial, according to the hospital's suit. The suit, filed May 1 in Jefferson Circuit Court, claims the lawyers "intentionally misrepresented and concealed material facts" about the cases.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on May 16, 2007 10:58 AM
Posted to General Law Related