Sepsis doesn’t start as sepsis. Instead, sepsis is the body’s response to an underlying infection. Unfortunately, nursing home residents face significant risks of infection if nursing home staff members are negligent.
Infections That Could Cause Sepsis
Some of the infections that may cause sepsis include:
- Urinary tract infections
- Bedsores
- Gastrointestinal infections
- Skin infections
- Flu
Anyone can develop these kinds of illnesses and infections, but nursing home residents often have a higher risk of getting sick. Nursing home residents often have medical conditions that make these types of infections more likely. They also may be unable to communicate early symptoms, and their bodies may be less likely to fight off the infection.
Sometimes infections that turn into sepsis happen, and no one is to blame. Other times, however, nursing home negligence can be to blame for the infection when:
- Proper hygiene protocols are not followed. Nursing home staff must regularly wash their hands and take precautions to prevent the spread of contagious conditions or dangerous bacteria.
- Residents do not receive proper care. For example, bedsores can be prevented if the resident’s position is frequently changed, and urinary tract infections may be prevented if catheters are used appropriately.
- Nursing home staff do not recognize the early signs of an infection. Treatment is more likely to be effective if an infection is diagnosed quickly. Nursing home staff who fail to recognize signs of infection such as fever, changes in energy level or appetite, or visible skin infections may cause unnecessary delays in medical treatment.
Legal Recoveries for Nursing Home Infections
If nursing home negligence caused your loved one’s infection and sepsis, he or she deserves to make a full and fair financial recovery. Our experienced nursing home injury lawyers will fight for your loved one’s recovery of medical expenses, pain, suffering, and out-of-pocket costs. We will pursue a nursing home sepsis lawsuit to hold the nursing home accountable so that other families don’t have to go through the suffering that your family did.
Start a live chat with us or call us at any time—24/7/365—to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with us.
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