It may seem that the Ebola outbreak was so long ago that people may not remember how pervasive the fear over the disease was. It may also be lost on people how many physicians and nurses were infected with it (or suspected to be infected) and how much controversy the event caused. Regardless, it was only a matter of time before lawsuits were filed by those unwittingly infected.
The first person in the United States to be infected with Ebola, a nurse working for the Dallas location of the Texas Presbyterian Health System, will file a lawsuit seeking monetary damages from her employer.
Essentially, the nurse claims that the hospital failed to provide proper training and equipment to handle patients who may have been infected with Ebola. She also claims that the hospital violated her privacy rights by sharing her medical records without her consent. She is still employed by Texas Presbyterian, but has not returned to work, according to a CNN.com report. She reportedly still suffers from fatigue and body aches, but it is unclear whether this is attributable to Ebola or the experimental drugs used to treat her.
Regardless, the lawsuit is an example of a worker seeking to hold a hospital accountable for being negligent when it comes to protecting employees (just like the duty afforded to patients). The nurse is seeking damages for mental anguish, physical pain and loss of future earnings. It remains to be seen what position the hospital will take or whether a settlement is in the works.