When you enter a hospital for treatment, you expect to receive care that will improve your health, not put you at risk for further harm. Unfortunately, hospital-acquired infections are alarmingly common, with 1 in 25 patients contracting an infection during their stay. In the most severe cases, untreated infections can progress to life-threatening sepsis. If you or a loved one developed a severe infection or sepsis after a hospitalization, contact our medical malpractice lawyers to learn your legal rights. Complete our online form to have a member of our legal team contact you.
Also known as nosocomial infections, hospital-acquired infections are contracted during a hospital stay and were not present prior to admission. The most common types include:
– MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
– C. diff (Clostridium difficile)
– Pneumonia, including ventilator-associated pneumonia
– Surgical site infections
– Urinary tract infections from catheters
While any patient can develop a hospital-acquired infection, certain factors increase your risk. These include prolonged hospital stays, invasive procedures like surgery or catheterization, a compromised immune system, and advanced age. Infections can spread through contact with contaminated surfaces, medical devices, or healthcare workers who move between patients.
Sepsis is your body’s overwhelming response to infection, which triggers a chain reaction of potentially life-threatening symptoms. Signs of sepsis include fever, rapid heart rate, difficulty breathing, and mental confusion. If not promptly diagnosed and aggressively treated, sepsis can rapidly progress to septic shock and organ failure. Sepsis kills over 270,000 Americans annually and leaves many survivors with long-term complications.
While some hospital-acquired infections may be unavoidable, many are caused by negligence and medical errors. Examples of malpractice leading to infections and sepsis include:
– Unsanitary hospital conditions and improper sterilization of tools
– Failure to identify and treat infections in a timely manner
– Misdiagnosis resulting in delayed or improper treatment
– Surgical mistakes that introduce bacteria into the body
– Failure to recognize and address the symptoms of sepsis
– Premature discharge of a patient with an infection
Malpractice involving hospital-acquired infections often has devastating consequences. Patients may require lengthy hospitalizations, multiple surgeries, and powerful antibiotics to combat the infection. In the worst cases, patients may suffer organ damage, amputation, or death.
If medical negligence caused or contributed to a severe infection or sepsis, you may have grounds for a lawsuit. By pursuing a claim against the hospital and healthcare providers involved, you can recover compensation for the physical, emotional, and financial damages you’ve suffered. A successful malpractice claim can provide accountability and drive the changes needed to prevent infections in the future.
However, malpractice cases involving hospital infections are highly complex. Determining if an infection resulted from negligence requires an in-depth investigation by attorneys experienced in both medical and legal issues. Additionally, each state has strict filing deadlines for malpractice lawsuits, some as short as one year from the date of injury. That’s why it’s crucial to speak with a knowledgeable medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible.
At Console & Associates, we have experience handling complex medical malpractice claims, including those involving hospital-acquired infections and sepsis. We understand the devastation these illnesses cause and are dedicated to helping victims like you pursue justice.
Complete our online form to learn your legal options. If we take on your case, we’ll thoroughly investigate to uncover evidence of negligence and build a strong claim for maximum compensation. Our attorneys have a track record of success in handling malpractice claims.
