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The vast majority of needle stick injury victims are workers in the health care industry. However, it does occasionally happen to patients. A needle stick injury occurs anytime a person is stuck with a used, or possibly used, needle. The wound itself may only be barely noticed. The real danger is the possibility of exposure to life threatening diseases. If you have been the victim of a needle stick injury, the Davie, FL, medical malpractice attorneys of Fenster & Cohen, P.A. can help you get the compensation your deserve.
Dangers of Needle Stick Injuries
A needle stick can transmit blood borne pathogens leading to life threatening and fatal illnesses. It all depends on whether the needle was contaminated with the blood of an infected person. Needle stick injury can result in contracting:
- Hepatitis B (HBV)
- Hepatitis C (HCV)
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
- Herpes
- Gonorrhea
- Syphilis
- Malaria
- Spotted fever
- Tuberculosis
- Typhus
What You Must Do After Needle Stick
Immediately after needle stick you should clean the wound and report it to your doctor or to the health care professional who is present. You will need to be tested for HBV, HCV, and HIV right away. You may be given antibiotics to prevent potential bacterial infection. It may also be appropriate for you to receive HBV vaccine and immunoglobulin. In some cases, antiretroviral drugs will be recommended to reduce the risk of HIV. However, these drugs can have severe side effects.
You should be retested for Hepatitis C six weeks after your needle stick injury and again about four to six months after injury. You should also be tested for HIV at six weeks, three months, six months, and one year after your injury.
Even needle stick injury victims who do not contract an illness from their injuries still have to endure the terror and anguish of waiting and wondering if they are facing a fatal illness.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of medical malpractice, call medical malpractice attorneys Fenster & Cohen, P.A. at (954) 473-1500 or contact us online. The initial consultation is free of charge, and if we agree to handle your case, we will work on a contingency fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if there is a monetary recovery of funds. In many cases, a lawsuit must be filed before an applicable expiration date, known as a statute of limitations. Please call right away to ensure that you do not waive your right to possible compensation.