University of Derby HIV scare - Legal advice
More than 600 past and present students between 2005 and 2013 at The University of Derby are being contacted after investigations revealed that syringe barrels were being reused between patients receiving vaccinations and blood taking for courses.
The NHS and the university are now in the process of contacting those affected by letter for blood tests to be carried out. The risk of contracting a deadly disease like HIV or Hepatitis has been said to be small, but the risk is still there.
Students affected may have to wait several months for test results to be finalised, leaving victims and their families in a state of perpetual concern whilst they wait for the outcome.
Students on the following courses are said to have been affected:
- MA Art Therapy
- MA Drama Therapy
- MSc Occupational Therapy
- BSc Occupational Therapy
- BSc Nursing (adult and mental health)
- Adv Dip in Nurse Studies (adult and mental health)
What this means for victims
Hopefully you will all be in the clear; but irrelevant of whether you have contracted anything or not, you may still be entitled to claim compensation for what has happened. The fact that you will need further testing and may have to wait several months for results will of course create a lot of concern and worry for those affected.
We have represented victims for similar cases such as needle stick claims against employers where people may have been negligently exposed to a life threatening contaminant at work. We're sure no one has consented to being put at risk of contracting a life threatening disease through the reuse of syringe barrels, meaning you may be entitled to seek damages for the lengthy, and no doubt agonising, wait for results.
What should I do if I'm affected?
If you are contacted by letter for testing, you may be entitled to take legal action.
First and foremost, we advise that you follow the advice on the correspondence and you contact the University's dedicated helpline on 03330 142479 if you need medical advice.
For legal advice, call our clinical negligence team on 0800 634 7575.
As a Midlands based personal injury law firm in Derbyshire, we're more than used to representing victims for clinical negligence cases and we specialise in all areas of personal injury law, and we have particular expertise in representing both individual victims and group victims for clinical negligence cases. We're currently representing hundreds of victims claiming for the PIP Breast Implant scandal from 2012.
You can call our dedicated legal advice helpline on 0800 634 7575 anytime between 9am - 10pm during weekdays and 9am - 5pm on weekends.
Our advice is free and entirely confidential, and our team are here to help you if you need us.
For more info on the reports
Take a look at our recent published articles about this news as it develops:
Legal action for University of Derby HIV scare victims
We recently blogged about the concerning story that more than 600 past and present students at the University of Derby are being contacted after it was found that syringe barrels were being reused between students. This catastrophic error made by one particular individual at the university means hundreds are now going to need tests to find out if they have contracted HIV or Hepatitis B and C from the potentially contaminated syringe barrels.
Hundreds of Derby University students at risk of HIV & Hepatitis
Reports have emerged from the Derby Telegraph that 606 past and present students at the University of Derby may have been exposed to HIV and hepatitis, according to sources. The NHS and the university are investigating blood test procedures carried out on hundreds of students by a healthcare worker who may be responsible for putting the students at risk.
