New Lawsuit Filed Against McMechen’s Valley Pain Management
McMECHEN –A Marshall County-based physician has been named in an additional lawsuit related to his practice in McMechen.
Rachel Justice of Pine Grove filed a complaint against Dr. Roland F. Chalifoux Jr. and his practice, Valley Pain Management July 21. In the complaint, Justice alleges to have contracted hepatitis C due to unsterile techniques in the office. Justice claims during her treatment at the clinic, she received one or more injections from Chalifoux and his staff between Jan. 1, 2010 and Nov. 1, 2013.
Counts included in the claim are negligent infliction of emotional distress and medical negligence.
In 2014, Chalifoux’s clinic was shut down for about two months after his license was suspended by the West Virginia Board of Osteopathic Medicine. This closure occurred after the state Department of Health and Human Resources’ Bureau of Health claimed Chalifoux did not hand over information related to his clinic’s patients. The state claimed Chalifoux’s patients were at risk for contracting various diseases because of his alleged needle use practices. The state also claimed Chalifoux did not wear a mask when injecting or placing a catheter in the epidural space of his patients, didn’t practice sterile techniques, cleaned his patients’ skin only once prior to injections as opposed to the required three times, did not practice proper hand hygiene, did not perform environmental cleaning between patients and employed a lack of standard injection safety practices.
Chalifoux denied the accusations and fought back against the claims, taking the issue to court. A Kanawha County judge ruled in his favor, allowing his license to be reinstated.
During summer 2015, three lawsuits were filed by other former patients against Chalifoux, who in the same month, filed a lawsuit against the WVDHHR, Secretary Karen Bowling, commissioner and State Health Officer Dr. Letitia Tierney, public information officer Toby Wagoner and other employees. In his lawsuit, the physician claimed on July 21, 2014, a news release was issued by the defendants that published false statements against him and his business.
According to the July 2016 case filing, Justice is seeking compensation for damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. Scott Blass, Geoffrey Brown and Bryan Pasciak of the Bordas & Bordas law firm are representing her in the case.
The case, to be heard by Judge Jeffrey Cramer, will be prepared for trial in July 2017.
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