Legal news for Iowa personal injury attorneys. A jury awarded a woman who contracted HPV $1.5 million in damages.
Iowa personal injury lawyers alert- A woman who filed a lawsuit was awarded $1.5 million in damages after contracting the Human Papillomavirus STD.
Muscatine, IA– A Muscatine dentist has been ordered by a jury to pay a woman $1.5 million for giving her a sexually transmitted disease (STD). The sum was awarded after the defendant lost his appeal of the August 2008 ruling, as reported by the Quad-City Times.
According to the lawsuit, Alan B. Evans, an area dentist, did not tell the plaintiff, Karly K. Rossiter of Winfield, to take precautions so that he did not infect her with the human papillomavirus, or HPV, and bacterial vaginitis. The court documents indicated that Evans told Rossiter that he did not have any STD’s, and since he was tested, which was six months prior, he hasn’t had sex. In January 2005, the two engaged in sexual activity. One year later Rossiter had an abnormal pap smear. Evans later admitted that he did have sex in the time between his STD test and when they engaged in sexual activity, and even when they were sexually involved in one another. Evans told Rossiter that the other woman showed symptoms like hers. Rossiter claims that the diseases will now always have effects on her relationships and health.
Rossiter received $700,000 in compensatory damages and $800,000 in punitive damages.
Evans applied for an appeal and was denied in December 2009 and then asked the Supreme Court Iowa for a more in-depth review of his case, but was denied on March 10. Evan subsequently filed a counter suit against Rossiter for slander, libel and malicious prosecution, but was not awarded any money for his claims.
The American Social Health Association estimates that about 75-80% of sexually active Americans will contract HPV at some point during their lives. By the age of 50 over 80% of American women will have contracted at least one strain of genital HPV. The sexually transmitted disease is reportedly the most common STD in the United States.
Legal News Reporter: Nicole Howley-Legal news for Iowa personal injury lawyers.
