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Needlestick injury compensation claims

What are needlestick injuries?

Needlestick injuries occur when a hypodermic needle or sharp medical device such as a scalpel accidentally punctures a person’s skin. It is sometimes also referred to as a sharps injury.

Often the physical injury will not be too severe, but the mental effects of this type of injury can be devastating. The victim will suffer weeks or months of anxiety whilst they await the results of tests they will undergo to ensure that the puncture injury has not resulted in their being infected by a disease carried by the user of the needle, or patient treated by the scalpel.

Please select one of the following links to read more about needlestick injuries and how you may be able to claim needlestick compensation.

Workers at risk from needlestick injuries and sharps injuries
Injuries caused by hypodermic needles and sharp items
Reducing the risk of needlestick injuries
News Stories we have published
Needlestick injury compensation claim advice

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Workers at risk from needlestick injuries and sharps injuries

The vast majority of these types of accidents could and should be prevented. If the correct procedures were followed for the disposal of needles and other sharp instruments, they would not give rise to situations where an injury could occur.

Injuries from hypodermic needles and scalpels occur when they have not been disposed of correctly. In a medical environment, they should be disposed off in a designated refuse container, normally referred to as a sharps box, or sharps container. This type of strong container provides a preventative shield between the sharp item and anyone dealing with their disposal. If they are disposed of in plastic bags, they can penetrate the plastic and present a hazard when the bag is taken for refuse disposal.

Another common situation where injury can occur is when needles are carelessly discarded and accidents occur because people are unaware of their presence. Whilst Healthcare workers and NHS staff such as doctors and nurses are most at risk from suffering a needlestick injury, they are by no means the only group of workers who should be aware of the potential risks.

Other groups of workers such as cleaners, park-keepers, police officers, prison officers and workers involved with refuse collection, including street cleaning, can all suffer needlestick injury if sharp items are carelessly tossed aside after use. Places where this can occur might include public toilets, parks, communal stairways and public alleyways. All these areas can create a dangerous environment for cleaners and other workers.

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Injuries caused by hypodermic needles and sharp items

The piercing injury caused by the sharp object can cause bleeding, swelling and tenderness at the site of the puncture. However, whilst this trauma is bad enough, they then have to live with considerable anxiety before they know whether they have contracted some type of blood-borne virus (BBV).

Three of the most severe viruses that can be transmitted through a needlestick or sharps injury are Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV, which of course can lead to the further development of Aids.

Blood tests will typically be taken immediately following the injury, and results can take weeks or months to be confirmed. However, since some of the virus can take some time to show up on the blood tests, the results may only be given after several follow-up blood tests over the course of several months, often up to 12 months.

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Reducing the risk of needlestick injuries

There are several precautions that should be adopted to minimise the risk of needlestick injury or sharps injury. Injuries suffered during a medical procedure by the treating healthcare worker are difficult to prevent, but by adopting the following procedures, the risk should be minimised.

In any medical facility, sharps bins are provided for the disposal of hypodermic needles and other medical sharps. These containers should be used without exception for the correct disposal of sharp items.
The sharps bins should be emptied regularly so that they never become over-filled. If it is clear that they are full, another container should be provided.
Litter pickers, tongs, safety boots, kneepads and heavy-duty gloves should all be provided where there is a presence of needles and sharp items. These items are classed as personal protective equipment (PPE) and tools.
Any worker who is considered as “at risk” should be provided with appropriate training on the handling and disposal of needles.
A discarded needle should not be held with the bare hand and no worker should be expected to deal with them without adequate protection.
No worker should be expected to put their hands into a place they cannot see, such as inside a drain or in a U bend of a pipe.
Vaccination for Hepatitis B and Tetanus Vaccines should be considered by all workers at risk of coming into contact with hypodermic needles or sharp items.

There are other measures that have been suggested to reduce the risk of needlestick injury in known problem areas. It is suggested by some that local authorities should take responsibility for providing appropriate disposal containers (sharps bins) for disposing of needles and sharp items, and also for providing security in known problem areas such as parks and public areas at night.

It is also thought that the medical manufacturers should consider replacing the standard hypodermic needle with a "safer needle" which retracts or is destroyed after use.

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News stories we have published

Clear Answers injury at work solicitors deal with a large number of work accident cases each year, including many needlestick injuries. Details of some of these personal injury compensation claims can be found in our Personal Injury News Section which is updated regularly.

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Needlestick injury compensation claim advice

If you or anyone you know has suffered a needlestick injury or sharps injury at work, you may have a valid accident compensation claim. There are strict time limits in place to make any injury claim including needlestick injury claims. For further information, contact us or visit our Questions Answered page.

Clear Answers have teams of experts waiting to advise you whether or not you have a valid claim for compensation. Our specialist personal injury lawyers will be happy to talk you through the process of making a claim in plain English and will be happy to answer any questions or queries you may have.

If you do have a valid personal injury compensation claim and you decide to instruct Clear Answers to deal with the matter for you. You will retain 100% of the compensation awarded to you and we will recover our legal fees from the person responsible for your injury, ensuring that the entire procedure is cost-free for you.

Telephone us now on 0800 783 9019 or complete an online compensation claim form. One of our representatives will contact you as soon as possible to discuss whether you have a valid personal injury compensation claim.

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