Sterner v. Portercare Adventist Health System

A class action lawsuit is pending in the District Court, City and County of Denver, State of Colorado (the “Court”) against Portercare Adventist Health System, d/b/a Centura Health-Porter Adventist Hospital and Centura Health Corporation (“Defendants”). The lawsuit alleges that Defendants failed to adequately sterilize surgical instruments, failed to disclose the alleged issues with its sterilization process, and unjustly profited from the surgeries it performed during this time period.

The Court decided that this lawsuit should proceed as a class action on behalf of a “Class,” or a group of people that could include you. The Class consists of all patients who underwent orthopedic or spinal surgery at Porter Adventist Hospital (“Porter”) between July 21, 2016, and April 5, 2018, and either received a written notice from Porter dated April 4, 2018, or April 6, 2018, or otherwise learned of the sterilization problems at Porter, and subsequently underwent blood testing for bloodborne pathogens for which the results were negative (the “Class”). Before the Court made any decisions in this lawsuit regarding whether the Defendants did anything wrong, this Settlement was reached.

Your Legal Rights and Options in This Settlement

Do Nothing	By doing nothing, you remain in the Class and benefit from the terms of the Settlement Agreement (the “Settlement Agreement” or “Settlement”). The proposed Settlement Agreement will bind Class Members.
Comment or Object by July 7, 2023	If you received a Settlement Notice sent on June 6, 2023, then you may write to the Court why you do or do no like the proposed Settlement.
Opt In or Exclude Yourself by July 7, 2023	If you received a Settlement Notice sent on June 6, 2023 then you may participate or exclude yourself from the proposed Settlement.
Attend a hearing on September 14, 2023	Ask to speak to the Court about the fairness of the Settlement if you filed a request to do so by May 13, 2023. If you received a Settlement Notice sent on June 6, 2023, then you must file your request to speak at the hearing by July 7, 2023. The date and time of the Final Approval Hearing is subject to change by Court Order and without further notice to the Class.

These rights and options—and the deadlines to exercise them—are explained in the Notice.