Woman files suit in facial fungi case

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Woman files suit in facial fungi case

Southwest Virginia Today - Richlands,VA*

Mark Sage

Wytheville Enterprise: News >

Tue Oct 28, 2008

http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/woman_files_suit_in_facial_fungi_ca

se/news/3853/

A Wythe County woman who says she contracted a life-threatening

infection from fungi spores in an industrial coolant is suing three

corporations and their various subsidiaries for $750,000.

Beth Alderman, 22, of Wytheville filed her lawsuit in Wythe

County Circuit Court on Oct. 14, claiming that she has

been " substantially and permanently wronged, injured and damaged "

after she was sprayed in the face with the coolant in October 2006.

According to the lawsuit, Alderman was an employee at Mid-Atlantic

Manufacturing & Hydraulics in Rural Retreat at the time of the

incident.

Mid-Atlantic was not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. Instead,

Alderman seeks damages from Fuchs Lubricants, maker of the coolant,

Okuma, producer of the lathe machine that sprayed the coolant, and

the Group, distributor of Okuma's machine.

A representative from the Group declined comment on the

lawsuit and Fuchs and Okuma failed to return phone messages left

Monday morning.

The lawsuit states that Alderman was operating a lathe machine at

Mid-Atlantic and had to open its sullied plastic shield in order to

monitor components on the device.

" At precisely this moment the Fuchs coolant was released onto the

spinning component of the lathe, with such force that it sprayed

Alderman directly in the face, exposing her to potentially life-

threatening mucor fungi-spores that were actively multiplying and

thriving within the Fuchs coolant, " the lawsuit narrative reads.

After being sprayed with the coolant, Alderman claims in the lawsuit

that she contracted mucormycosis – which according to multiple

online sources is a rare infection that often destroys facial

tissue, especially around the nose and eye sockets.

The infection usually only develops in people with weakened immune

systems from ailments such as diabetes. Alderman's lawsuit, though,

makes no mention of any conditions that would have made her more

susceptible to an infection.

The lawsuit says that Alderman went into a coma as a result of the

infection and had to have multiple surgical procedures to remove the

infected tissue.

The ordeal left her " permanently scarred, disfigured and paralyzed,

greatly affecting her facial features, appearance and vision, " the

court paperwork states.

Alderman also cited double-vision as a side effect of her facial

paralysis.

When reached by phone last week, Alderman referred all questions to

her attorney, Kirtner.

Kirtner declined additional comment Monday, saying the information

available in the lawsuit contains any details he wished to release

at this time.

Alderman states in the lawsuit that the lathe machine and the

coolant were " defective, dangerous, unfit and unsafe " and that the

offending companies failed to properly inspect the equipment to

ensure its safety.

In addition to the physical trauma suffered as a result of the

infection, Alderman's lawsuit also says that her injuries have hurt

her ability to be employed, have caused her great financial hardship

and have forced her to significantly alter her pre-infection

lifestyle.

She also cited " severe psychological injuries and extensive mental

anguish " due to her " extreme disfigurement. "

The lawsuit states that Alderman expects all of her problems to be

lifelong issues, citing her relative youth as a factor that makes

the effects of the injuries even more harmful.

A January 2009 date has been set to schedule a hearing for the case.

Nate Hubbard can be reached at 228-6611 or nhubbard@....