An unbelievable loss!
Five patients have won a historic case after their frozen eggs and embryos were destroyed at the Pacific Fertility Center in San Francisco. The incident, which took place in 2018, resulted in the loss of 3,500 eggs and embryos.
The hopeful parents suffered extreme distress when their chances at starting their own families were dashed due to a tank production defect. The San Francisco centre explained that one of their tank’s liquid nitrogen supply was cut off for a short period of time and this is what caused the tank failure.
It is understood that the five patients, which includes one married couple and three women, will split the $15million. The Pacific Fertility Center will pay 10% and the tank manufacturer, Chart Industries Inc, will pay 90%.
The jurors stated that both the clinic and tank manufacturer were at fault and caused extreme pain and emotional trauma for all patients involved.
Speaking about the devastation caused by the incident, 39-year-old Chloe Poynton told Associated Press: “It’s really painful to be at a baby shower celebrating someone else’s family being built and knowing inside you’ll never get that.”
She added that the loss caused her to pull back and isolate herself.
It is believed that multiple lawsuits have been filed against both the fertility centre and the manufacturer with other trials taking place later in the year.
This is the first time victims were awarded after suffering the loss of eggs and embryos at a fertility clinic.
