Needle Left in Body After Episiotomy

The Incident

Mrs H contacted us after a traumatic experience during childbirth at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.

Following a medically necessary episiotomy, hospital staff lost a surgical needle during the stitching process.

This serious incident required her to undergo further surgery to retrieve the needle.

Legal Insight: Medical Negligence Claims in Scotland

When making a medical negligence claim in Scotland, your personal injury lawyer must be able to show that the medical practitioner failed to meet the standards required of them, and that you suffered injury as a result.

In cases such as this, where a potentially harmful foreign object is left inside the body and further surgery is required, this standard has clearly not been met, and the ‘injury’ (the additional surgery and stress) is clear.

As medical negligence solicitors, Khan Law helped Mrs H to pursue her claim. In such cases, the claim is not against the doctor or even the hospital – it is against the hospital’s governing health board.

The Outcome

In Mrs H’s case, an initial settlement offer of £5,000 was made by the Health Board. We rejected this and proposed £15,000.

After negotiation, the case was settled for £10,000. Mrs H was very satisfied with the outcome and grateful for our legal support throughout the process.