A Bedfordview, Johannesburg woman was infected with HIV virus by a KwaZulu-Natal health department paramedic who attended to her, the Pietermaritzburg High Court said on Wednesday.

The paramedic attended to the woman after he "worked on" a pedestrian, who later died, when the woman's car crashed.

The accident occurred near the Mooi River toll plaza on 31 August 2000.

After the accident she was taken to the Pietermaritzburg Mediclinic with a head injury. She was discharged four days later. Three Johannesburg doctors and two specialists estimated that she became infected around the time of the collision.

Judge Shimon Patel said the health department paramedic had failed to perform the treatment of the woman with the degree of skill and care of a reasonable paramedical professional.

He failed to ensure that no contamination occurred in handling the dead pedestrian and the woman.

The paramedic should have known that with the high incidence of HIV and two people with bleeding wounds, the risk of cross-contamination of blood was high. He should have taken all precautions to avoid such contamination.

Patel ordered that the health department be held liable for any damage the woman may be found to have suffered as a result of her contamination with the virus.

This case concerned only liability and not damage amounts.