
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 22, 1990                   TAG: 9003222600
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B6   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

ROANOKE WOMAN SUING MEDICAL LAB

A Roanoke woman has filed a lawsuit against a medical laboratory, claiming that her arm was permanently injured by a lab employee two years ago.

Janet Sue Robinson is seeking $500,000 in damages from Roche Biomedical Lab Inc. in a suit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Roanoke.

Robinson claims that her right forearm was injured in 1988 when a Roche Biomedical technician, who was working at Lewis-Gale Clinic, "carelessly and negligently inserted a needle" while drawing blood.

Attorney Arthur Strickland said the needle pierced a vein in Robinson's arm and hit a nerve. Robinson has developed a tremor in her hand and is unable to use it, Strickland said.

The suit claims that the technician's action has caused Robinson to "suffer severe pain and disability and to incur substantial medical bills." Robinson also claims that she has had to reduce her working hours from full time to four hours a day.

Roche Biomedical Lab is a national corporation headquartered in New Jersey. Its Roanoke office is located on Valley View Boulevard.

by CNB