KEY POINTS:
A Wanganui law firm considering launching a class action law suit over botched sterilisations by a gynaecologist w as "extraordinarily busy" today talking to potential litigants after plans for the possible law suit were detailed in a local newspaper.
Treadwell Gordon is considering taking the suit against the Whanganui District Health Board (DHB) for its alleged negligence in employing Czech gynaecologist Roman Hasil.
Dr Hasil botched a series of sterilisations of women at Wanganui Hospital. He fled New Zealand in March and Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) Ron Paterson is investigating
Six of the 32 women Dr Hasil performed sterilisation operations on became pregnant.
Plans for the possible class action were published in a Wanganui newspaper today and Treadwell Gordon solicitor Jane Polson said this had created a great amount of interest.
"We've been extraordinarily busy today and we've had more women join us," she told NZPA.
The firm was investigating the possible legal issues a class action would involve.
It decided to take the case when a woman who had received a botched sterilisation contacted Ms Polson in April.
They were now trying to get a class action together to create "power in numbers", she said.
Prior to those signed up today there had been six women on board, she said.
The women wanted an apology from Dr Hasil as well as compensation for lost wages and pain and suffering.
The firm would not charge unless there was a successful outcome to the case.
The action would be against the DHB, not Dr Hasil, as it was the employer and because Dr Hasil's whereabouts were not known.
For a successful negligence claim it must be shown the hospital owed a duty of care to the public to employ a doctor with correct qualifications and to ensure he was adequately supervised.
It was unlikely any legal action would go ahead before the HDC's ruling expected later this year.
Local QC John Rowan would assist with the case.
DHB chief executive Memo Musa said the board was sympathetic to the women's plight but could not comment on any possible legal action, particularly as the matter was still under investigation by the HDC, the Wanganui Chronicle reported.
- NZPA
