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WESTMINSTER : Student Who Got TB Sues District, County

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An 18-year-old woman who lost part of a lung as a result of a tuberculosis outbreak last year at La Quinta High School filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the county and the Garden Grove Unified School District.

Debi French contends in her lawsuit that the school district and the Orange County Health Care Agency negligently failed to warn the La Quinta student body after they learned in January, 1991, that a student had been diagnosed with contagious tuberculosis.

The lawsuit contends that French was diagnosed with TB in May, 1993, and only became aware in September that a similar strain of drug-resistant TB had been diagnosed among other classmates.

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French, who lives with her family in Garden Grove, had part of a lung removed to halt the spread of the disease when more common drug treatments did not work.

Richard E. McCain, her lawyer, said that French is seeking compensation for her past and future medical bills, which so far amount to “several hundred thousand dollars,” much of which will not be covered by insurance. He said she also wants compensation for the emotional toll of her illness, which forced her to be quarantined and, ultimately, to drop out of school.

The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, was filed after both the school district and the county rejected claims filed by French.

“In view of the facts, we have no recourse but to disclaim any liability on behalf of the county of Orange, its departments and employees,” the county risk management department wrote to McCain in a letter dated Aug. 5.

Dr. Hugh F. Stallworth, the county’s public health officer, and Alan Trudell, spokesman for the Garden Grove Unified School District, declined to comment on the lawsuit.

La Quinta High School Principal Mitch Thomas said that French is expected to return to La Quinta to finish her senior year when school resumes next week.

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