HIV patient's lawsuit against Lahey Clinic and doctors moves forward

A New York man's lawsuit accusing Lahey Clinic and doctors there of failing to detect his HIV before the virus spread and caused "permanent physical and mental damage" passed a key legal hurdle this month and is moving forward. The man, identified in court papers only as "John Doe," alleged in a January 2013 lawsuit that Dr. Kinan K. Hreib and Dr. Stephen Southard should have realized neurological and other symptoms the plaintiff exhibited at Lahey were likely caused by the virus that causes AIDS. In addition, the plaintiff, a former Massachusetts resident, states that Lahey records indicated he was gay and hospital staff knew he worked as a paramedic with patients likely to carry the AIDS virus — both risk factors that made it especially important to test him for HIV.