[Source: dailymail.co.uk]
A Canadian woman is suing a fertility clinic (Markham Fertility Centre, near Toronto, Ontario) for $400,000, after alleging her husband ran off with the couple’s nurse.
Po Leung, 44, claims her husband Stuart Westcott was having a secret affair with their nurse Wendy Shanks during their $60,000 treatment.
She became pregnant through in-vitro fertilisation after several years of treatment at the fertility clinic, which she has now launched a lawsuit against as well as the nurse and facility director.
- Po Leung, 44, claims her husband Stuart Westcott was having a secret affair with nurse Wendy Shanks while she was receiving fertility treatment
- Westcott left her the day after she found out she’d successfully conceived
- Mrs Leung miscarried two weeks later
- Leung’s lawyer claims Shanks abused her position of power, trust and influence
- Shanks’ lawyer said she will vigorously defend the lawsuit
[Torstar News Service]
Until July, the defendants had been fighting to have the lawsuit dismissed on the grounds that a spouse’s lover cannot be sued for the breakdown of the relationship. But on July 24, a judge ruled that Leung’s claim as a patient outlines a reasonable cause for action. Leung’s lawyer, Lisa Corrente of Torkin Manes, said the court “came to the right decision.” According to Corrente, the case is about alleged breach of a health professional’s duty to his or her patients.
Leung is seeking $400,000 in damages for pain and suffering, breach of contract and breach of confidence. Leung said, however, the suite is not about money but about seeking accountability from the professionals who she claims failed her.