Live 5 Investigates: Women claim nurse gave them ‘unnecessary’ pap smear at Berkeley Co. jail

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - Four women have filed lawsuits claiming a contracted nurse at the Berkeley County jail gave them "medically unnecessary" pap smears that were not sent for testing.

According to the lawsuits, Alexander Lluvera works for Correctional Healthcare Companies, which is owned by Correct Care Solutions.

The lawsuits claim Lluvera worked as a contracted nurse for the Berkeley County Detention Center at the time of the incidents.

Five lawsuits filed on June 3 discuss incidents that happened in September 2016, June 2017 and July 2017.

Lluvera performed the pap smear tests because the woman complained of medical complications including a minor skin infection, odd-smelling urine and pain from a car crash, according to the lawsuits.

One lawsuit says Lluvera did not wear gloves during the vaginal exam.

All four lawsuits claim the pap smear was not sent for testing and Lluvera did not inform the women of any results.

A fifth lawsuit filed against Lluvera claims he asked a woman with drug withdrawal symptoms to undress without a chaperone and only inspected her inner thighs, despite several injection sites on other parts of her body.

According to the South Carolinja State Nursing Board, Lluvera's nursing license is still active.

“If the Board becomes aware of a legal action involving a licensee, it can investigate,” S.C. Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation Communications Director Lesia Kudelka said.

The lawyer representing the five women said they cannot comment on the lawsuits yet, but that there could be other women who come forward with similar accusations.

The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office has not provided a response to the lawsuits.

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