Wrong Hepatitis C Diagnosis Costs Nurse Abroad Job, Consumer Court orders Rs 13.49 Lakh Compensation
compensation
Udupi: A senior nurse from Udupi has been awarded Rs 13.49 lakh in compensation by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission after a wrong Hepatitis C diagnosis cost him a lucrative job opportunity in Saudi Arabia. The commission found the diagnostic centre in Mangaluru negligent, holding it responsible for the emotional and financial hardship suffered by the 43-year-old nurse.
Shettigar, who was set to join a Company in the Gulf nation this February, tested positive for Hepatitis C during a pre-departure medical screening. However, subsequent tests at a private lab in Manipal and the district hospital in Udupi confirmed he was negative, exposing the initial result as erroneous and ultimately leading to legal action.
According to a recent PTI report, a senior Nurse in Udupi was on Monday awarded Rs 13.49 lakh in compensation by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission after he lost a job opportunity in Saudi Arabia due to a false hepatitis C diagnosis.
Shivakumar Shettigar, 43, a qualified industrial nurse from Udupi, was slated to join the United Medical Response Company in the gulf nation this February. However, a pre-departure medical test conducted at the National CT Scanner and Diagnostic Center in Mangaluru incorrectly indicated that he was positive for Hepatitis C, a condition that disqualifies candidates under Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) medical norms.
Distressed by the result, Shettigar underwent follow-up testing at a private lab in Manipal and at the district government hospital in Udupi, both of which confirmed he was negative.
Alleging negligence and the use of faulty kits, Shettigar moved the consumer forum, claiming the lab’s error cost him not only the job but also significant emotional and financial distress.
According to a court directive, after examining evidence and hearing both parties, the commission ruled in Shettigar’s favour on May 21, 2025, directing the diagnostic centre to pay Rs 13.49 lakh in damages within 45 days, with a 6 per cent annual interest applicable in case of default, adds PTI
The compensation amount accounts for three years of lost income (estimated at ₹82,584 per month), in addition to medical costs and mental agony.
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