A 75-year-old woman told Channel 9 her world was turned upside down when she was accidentally exposed to HIV at Florida Hospital.
The victim said a nurse exposed her to HIV in November, but new court documents show the hospital is blaming her for damages.
Her attorney, Stephen Ostrow, said he was surprised to see Florida Hospital's legal response to the lawsuit.
"They don't care and they're just illustrating that further, and it's too bad," said Ostrow.
The woman said that during a visit to the East Orlando campus, a nurse exposed her to HIV while she was in a shared room with an HIV-positive patient.
In her medical records, which were supplied to Channel 9 by the attorney, a hospital staff member noted they were "informed by the night nurse this a.m., about the accidental use of IV tubing which was used for a patient in next bed with HIV."
The paperwork also says an HIV test was ordered. But Ostrow said they never followed up with the patient to give her the rapid test, and instead she was discharged.
"She wasn't contacted after she left there to see how she was doing," he said.
Florida Hospital recently filed a response to the court denying the patient's claims, saying any damages were because of the "plaintiff's own negligence."
The hospital claims the patient and her attorneys delayed getting her tested, which caused more damage in the form of stress.
The woman has been tested a few times since November and seems to be virus-free, but Ostrow said it's all taken a toll on her.
"She's a strong woman, strong-willed, but had a lot of health issues before and the stress of this whole situation has really gotten to her," he said.
Florida Hospital won't comment on legal matters until they're resolved. A judge has denied the hospital's request to dismiss the case.
Court documents show the hospital is asking for a trial in front of a jury.
