Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette is encouraging victims of the 2012 multistate fungal meningitis outbreak to submit their claims to receive part of a $40 million special victim compensation fund that helps pay for certain out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a direct result of having received tainted injections manufactured and distributed by Massachusetts-based New England Compounding Center (NECC). The deadline for submitting an application form is December 16, 2017.
“No amount of money could truly compensate for the fatalities and long lasting health challenges that resulted from this gross oversight,” said Schuette. “However, I encourage any Michigan citizens who were hurt by these injections to file a claim and secure at least some compensation for the loss they incurred.”
Livingston County was one of the hardest hit areas, with a total of 15 people who received tainted steroid injections dying as a result of the infection. Many more were left to deal with painful and permanent side effects. In total, the outbreak affected over 700 victims in 23 states.
The funds come from the federal Victims of Crime Act, and were granted to the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office for distribution by the Office for Victims of Crime of the U.S. Department of Justice. It will offer up to $50,000 for individuals who were catastrophically injured or died from the contaminated injections. The money is intended to help pay for uninsured medical care and income lost because of an inability to work. No victim has received compensation from this settlement yet.
You are eligible to file a claim for compensation if:
• You have previously been identified by the U.S. Attorney’s Office or FBI as a victim or surviving family member of a deceased victim; or
• You are on the U.S. Department of Justice’s Victim Notification System connected to the federal prosecution.
If you were not already identified by the U.S. Attorney’s Office or FBI, or counted by the FDA, CDC, or a state health department, you may still be eligible to file a claim for compensation if you meet ALL of the criteria below:
• Received an injection of preservative-free methylprednisolone acetate between May 1 and October 15, 2012;
• Received one of the NECC-produced lots 05212012@68, 06292012@26, or 08102012@51; and
• Developed fungal meningitis or certain other fungal infections as a result of the injection(s).
If you believe you meet all of the criteria above, please submit an application form to initiate a review for eligibility. However, if you are uncertain if you meet all of the criteria, you may still submit an application to initiate a review for eligibility. Survivors and/or dependents of a family member who meets or met the criteria above may also file a claim for compensation to initiate a review for eligibility.
CLICK HERE to submit an application electronically.
