Recently many dating websites have been marred by the rising incidence of Sexually Transmitted Disease or STD transmission by their members including HIV and AIDS, as well as herpes and HPV. Major dating sites such as Grindr and others are providing home test kits that allow members to test themselves in the privacy of their own homes for HIV and AIDS. The kit provided by Grindr included a simple gum swab kit that delivers results in as little as 20 minutes. The site recommends members who receive a “positive” result should pursue independent testing from their doctor or a lab to confirm or disprove the results.
Here in California and in most states of the union it is illegal to transmit an STD without providing advance warning to a partner prior to intimate contact. The failure to do so exposes partners of substance to a civil liability, allowing victims to pursue medical costs and other financial restitution for the trauma of having to live with an STD. The key to these cases is the financial substance of the source of the STD. In order for a civil action to be successful, the person who transmitted the STD without warning must be a person of financial substance. Here in Southern California, there are unfortunately a large number of cases where STDs are transmitted by celebrities, professional athletes, business owners and even members of the clergy and college professors. The good news is that is absolutely possible to prove that the person transmitted an STD and hold them accountable.
My name is Rivers Morrell and after more than 40 years of experience as an injury attorney and work in many of these cases I can tell you it is possible to prove someone gave you an STD and hold them accountable. Many of our clients initially express a deep sense of guilt, shame and other complex emotions. They are concerned about their dating life and how they will be able to move forward and find a life partner after an STD has developed. I invite you to review the comments and recommendations of our STD clients. We have successfully helped many of them to hold substantive partners accountable, and to receive the resources they need to have the treatment and support necessary to manage their lives and move forward.
Dating sites are requiring members to self-test for HIV and AIDS as well as other STDs and disclose this on their profile. This is a positive development and we support these efforts. If you have received HIV / AIDS or another STD from a partner without warning, we invite you to call for a private, confidential and free consultation at (949)305-1400.
