Woman Says Local Hospital Left Knife Blade in Head

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- A Jacksonville woman claims she's had a knife blade stuck in the back of her neck for the last three years, because emergency crews did not remove it.

Edith McQueen's attorney, Chad Roberts, says his client was attacked by a woman armed with a knife at her apartment complex three years ago.

Roberts says McQueen went by ambulance to Shands Jacksonville for help and that McQueen did not get the help she needed. "She knew she had been stabbed twice," says Roberts.

A Shands Jacksonville doctor noted on McQueen's medical record that she had a knife stab wound to the neck.

The note went on to say that McQueen's wound was, "cleaned and loosely sutured."

It also says that when McQueen left Shands, she was in good condition. But three years later, Roberts says his client's condition is anything but good.

"Somehow some really basic care was overlooked and she went home with some stitches and a knife blade in her head."

Roberts says McQueen has been suffering from headaches over the last three years. It wasn't until just a couple of weeks ago that another doctor took an x-ray and found what could be causing McQueen's problem. The knife blade is near her spine.

"Fortunately, she had an x-ray scheduled prior to an upcoming MRI that could have been fatal for her if she had an MRI with a knife blade still in her head."

Roberts says the blade can be felt through the skin. In fact, McQueen knew the area felt weird. "She thought it was part of her scar tissue or complication with the wound itself."

Roberts says Shands trauma staff should have spotted it, if they had done an x-ray. "There's no doubt she did not get an x-ray. A stabbing victim probably ought to get an x-ray of the stab wound."

Shands released a statement to First Coast News saying, "We will not discuss the particulars of any patient's confidential healthcare services."

The knife has not been removed. Roberts says he is working with his client on a solution to that right now.

Roberts says no lawsuit has been filed and that there may not be a case because of Florida medical malpractice laws.

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