Our personal injury team takes a look at sharps and needlestick injury claims.
In various professions, particularly in healthcare and waste management, sharps and needlestick injuries pose a significant risk. These injuries occur when a needle, scalpel or other sharp object punctures the skin, potentially exposing the victim to hazardous substances, including bloodborne pathogens like HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. If you have suffered a needlestick injury then you should seek specialist legal guidance on sharps and needlestick injury claims.
These injuries are common in settings where sharp instruments are used or discarded. Healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, and lab technicians, are particularly vulnerable. However, waste management employees and public service workers can also encounter sharp objects that have not been properly disposed of.
The consequences of these injuries can range from short-term physical pain and psychological distress, to serious and long-term health complications.
In order to bring a claim for a such an injury, we will need to demonstrate that the injury resulted from another party’s negligence. Negligence implies that the responsible party failed to take reasonable care to prevent harm. In the context of sharps or needlestick injuries, negligence could involve:
- Inadequate Training: Employers failing to provide proper training on handling and disposing of sharp instruments.
- Improper Disposal: Failure to use designated sharps disposal containers, leading to unsafe environments.
- Lack of Safety Protocols: Absence of, or non-adherence to, safety protocols designed to minimize the risk of sharps and needlestick injuries.
- Unsafe Work Environment: Conditions that increase the likelihood of an injury, such as cluttered or poorly lit workspaces.
the compensation paid in sharps and needlestick injury claims includes not only the victim’s ‘pain and suffering’ but also their financial losses, such as medical expenses, lost wages, and the costs of rehabilitation and therapy treatment.
The personal injury team at Slee Blackwell Solicitors will be happy to provide you with a free consultation and details of our No Win, No Fee funding scheme.
