Walgreens must pay customer $1.44M after pharmacist shared her prescription records
An Indiana jury awarded $1.44 million Friday to a customer whose prescription records were provided by a Walgreen’s pharmacist to the customer’s ex-boyfriend.
The pharmacist was married to the plaintiff’s ex-boyfriend at the time she looked up Abigail Hinchy’s prescription records and shared them with Davion Peterson, pharmacist Audra Peterson’s husband and Hinchy’s ex-boyfriend, the Indianapolis Star reports.
Walgreens said pharmacist Audra Peterson was in the wrong and has been appropriately disciplined for her breach of confidentiality. However, the company questioned the award against the drugstore chain, which Hinchy accused in a Marion Superior Court civil suit of negligently training and supervising Peterson.
“We believe it is a misapplication of the law to hold an employer liable for the actions of one employee who knowingly violates company policy,” said the company in an email to the newspaper. “We intend to appeal the ruling.”
Updated at 4:30 p.m. to change the headline.
