Needle Stick
Often victims have to wait and see after a needle stick injury.
While many people will not contract a disease, they are in danger
of getting potentially fatal diseases from bloodborne pathogens
including: Hepatitis, including Hepatitis B virus (HBV)and Hepatitis
C virus (HCV); Diphtheria; Typhus; Herpes; Malaria; Human Immunodeficiency
Virus (HIV), that causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS);
Tuberculosis; Spotted Fever; and Syphilis.
According to the Center for Disease Control, about 600,000 to
800,000 needle stick injuries occur in the health care industry
each year. The injuries are caused by needles such as hypodermic
needles, blood collection needles, intravenous (IV) stylets,
and needles used to connect parts of IV delivery systems. Over
$3 billion in health care costs is spent each year treating the
victims.
More than 8 million health care workers in the United States
work in hospitals and other health care settings. According to
Center for Disease Control data, the number of needle stick and
other percutaneous injuries among health care workers is growing
every year. About half of these injuries are unreported. At an
average hospital, workers incur approximately 30 needle stick
injuries per 100 beds per year.
Most reported needle stick injuries involve nursing staff; however,
laboratory staff, physicians, housekeepers, and other health
care workers are also at risk. These injuries expose workers
to blood-borne pathogens such as HBV, HCV, and HIV.
Infections with each of these pathogens are potentially life
threatening and preventable.This impact is particularly severe
when the injury involves exposure to HIV. In one study of 20
health care workers with an HIV exposure, 11 reported acute severe
distress, 7 had persistent moderate distress, and 6 quit their
jobs as a result of the exposure.
What You Need To Know:
Insurance companies' obligations are to their stockholders and
policy holders, not to the people injured by their insured's
negligence. Insurance companies' desire to maximize their own
profits provides them with every motivation to try to deny your
claim or pay you the very minimum amount that they can get away
with. The insurance companies also have enormous advantages:
they have immense wealth, armies of experienced adjusters and
lawyers and years of experience reducing and denying claims.
At the Law Office of Stephen A. Burroughs,
our only obligation is to you, our client. We will use our experience
and every resource available to protect your interests, and we
will work hard to help you receive the full value for your case.
We will advise you every step of the way to help you avoid any
mistakes that could cost you money. There is no charge for attorney's
fees until you recover money for your personal injuries, and
we will also help you resolve your property damage claims for
no fee whatsoever. For assistance, call today at 1-877-300-3773, contact
us or submit
an free online case evaluation.
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