Damages for retired HSE hospital attendant who was pricked by needle at Ennis Hospital

A judge has awarded a retired HSE hospital attendant €10,000 compensation for an injury he sustained from a used Covid-19 vaccination needle which pricked his finger.

At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Patrick Quinn said that he was "being as generous as he could be and being as fair as I can be to both parties" in making the award to Peter Rogers of Doon, Tubber, Co Clare.

Arising from the incident, the 67-year-old, who worked at St Joseph’s Hospital in Ennis sued the HSE and the Hospital. Liability was admitted and the case was before the court for the quantum of damages only.

In evidence, Mr Rogers said that "Covid-19 needles" were being used to give vaccinations to patients in the Church at St Joseph’s Hospital in January 2021. 

Sheila Finn BL said her client suffered "a significant puncture wound from a used needle into the right middle finger” on January 25 2021. Mr Rogers sustained the injury when moving a sharps needle bin which was in the wrong place in a shed and the needle was wrongfully exposed at the top of the bin. The plaintiff removed the needle immediately but was bleeding severely.

Mr Rogers attended Ennis General Hospital where the finger wound was dressed. Ms Finn said that her client was told by a medic that he was at risk of Hepatitis C and HIV and to avoid sexual intercourse with his wife. The court heard it took eight weeks for blood test results to come back - at which point Mr Rogers was given the all clear.

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In evidence, he said that “I got a shock” after sustaining the needle prick injury. He told the court: “It was very sore and I was very nervous and worried about the Covid-19 needle.” 

Mr Rogers added that the injury made him "very agitated and very ratty" at home. He said that was “living in fear every day” of contracting a similar injury.

He confirmed that he made five visits to his GP in 2021 concerning the needle injury. Mr Rogers went back to work the same day after receiving hospital treatment but he did not sleep that night.

The court was told that the pain in his right middle finger intensified in the days after the accident and that Mr Rogers was sick from work between January 28 and February 15. The finger was now swollen and stiff.

The court heard Mr Rogers retired in June of this year unconnected to the needle stick injury and he told the court: "I am a different man now. I am happy."

Judge Quinn said that for some reason, Mr Rogers’s solicitors referred him to a psychologist who found that two-and-a-half years after the needle injury he was described as having mild to moderate Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

However, a psychologist for the HSE found that Mr Rogers, on examination, had no features of PTSD but did develop a degree of worry after the accident which was understandable.

On examination, no evidence was found of Mr Rogers sustaining any psychiatric injury, the report found.