A stab wound sounds dramatic and serious, and one would think that any stab wound victim would automatically receive an x-ray to discover the extent of internal damage.
In a busy accident and emergency department, a stab wound that appears superficial may not get the level of examination you might expect. Instead, the wound may merely be subjected to a doctor’s visual examination before being patched up.
With any stab wound there is a risk that a foreign body, such as a knife tip, has been left in the wound which may not be immediately apparent to the naked eye.
Our experts in the medical negligence team at the Negligence Claimline outline the possible repercussions of a foreign body being retained in your system and explain your options if this has happened to you.
Stabbings can often lead to nasty infections because the instrument that stabbed you is highly likely to have been dirty. It is unlikely that someone is going to have disinfected their knife beforehand.
Such infections can usually be cleared up with antibiotics but if a foreign body remains in your system, the antibiotics generally will not work until the offending object is removed. This can only be done via surgery when the foreign body is finally detected.
Those with a foreign body in their system are highly susceptible to pyogenic infections and can suffer painful swelling, tenderness and raised temperatures as the body’s immune system attempts in vain to fight it off. Not only that, if the foreign body is small enough, it can travel to different parts of the body and cause untold harm.
If you have suffered a stab wound and consequent complications from a foreign object being retained in your system due to a medical professional failing to x-ray your wound, it may be possible to claim compensation.
Your case will rest on whether there was negligence by the medical professional, that they acted in a way that was not in accordance with a practice considered acceptable by a responsible body of doctors, and you suffered harm as a result.
For more advice speak to one of our experienced clinical negligence solicitors. They will be able to quickly assess whether you have a valid case and will guide you through the whole claim process to help you get the compensation you deserve.
For a confidential discussion about any medical negligence issue, contact us today for a free initial consultation with one of our specialist medical negligence solicitors on 01245 253214 or email info@negligenceclaimline.co.uk.
This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Please note that the law may have changed since this article was published.