Sepsis shock is a life-threatening condition that is avoidable. For sepsis to occur, an infection or illness triggers the body to release chemicals to fight the danger. However, it turns deadly when the body goes into sending too many toxins to fight the infection.
Getting sepsis just once can make your family member more susceptible to suffering again from another incident in the future. Suppose your loved one suffered a case of sepsis while in a nursing home’s care. The nursing home may be liable for the consequences, such as medical bills.
Whether the incident was mild or severe, you have the right to ask for compensation from the at-fault party for personal injury or wrongful death. A Fort Worth sepsis lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can help you start the legal process. Contact our team by calling (800) 842-6336.
Sepsis in Nursing Homes
Septicemia – the clinical name for sepsis – is the ninth leading cause of death in Texas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Part of a nursing home’s responsibility is to care for its residents and maintain a safe environment. The federal government and the State of Texas both implement laws that care facilities must follow.
Several symptoms can alert a medical professional of sepsis. If they ignore those signs, the sick individual can have problems breathing, organ failure, and other abnormalities that can lead to death. Some sepsis symptoms include the following:
- Abnormal temperatures lower than 96.8°F or higher than 101°F
- An elevated heart rate of 90 or more beats per minute
- An increased breathing rate of 20 or more breaths per minute
- Diagnosed with an infection or suspected diagnosis of an infection
If staff ignore these sepsis symptoms, the condition can become more severe, and the resident can suffer from shock. Shock can lead to death, but survivors can continue to suffer for months and years with some of the following ailments:
- Organ damage
- Insomnia and nightmares
- Fatigue and poor concentration
- Extreme joint and muscle pain
- Reduced mental functioning
One of the top reasons sepsis occurs in nursing homes is because of neglect. The number of health care professionals are not meeting the industry’s rising needs. Nursing homes and facilities that do not have emergency services are often understaffed.
Understaffed nursing homes may not have the human resources to care for their residents. Bedsores and infections are one of the leading causes of sepsis, both of which can occur when seniors are not cared for properly.
Suing a Nursing Home for Sepsis
The awards from a lawsuit can help you from continuing to suffer financially and more. You have two years to file a lawsuit for personal injury, according to Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §16.003.
In cases of sepsis, the responsible party may include more than a couple of staff members. The facility’s management company is liable for the actions of their employees. Nursing homes, like most businesses, have insurance to cover these claims.
You will need evidence to support your claim. The insurance company or nursing home representatives may say there was nothing they could have done. They will want proof that the facility and staff were negligent and responsible for the condition.
For your personal injury lawsuit, you will need to prove that the nursing home was negligent. Negligence in nursing homes happens when the staff does not follow standardized policies and administer reasonable care.
A Fort Worth sepsis lawyer can review your claim and file a lawsuit on behalf of you and your family member. The team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm does not shy away from tough cases. Contact us about your sepsis claim and possible financial awards.
Sepsis Lawsuit Rewards
When you file a personal injury claim for compensation, you will want to include all of your losses from the sepsis. You can use the medical bills, from the infection treatment, as evidence of your financial loss. Make sure to include all related expenses, such as:
- Inpatient hospitalization
- Medication and IV fluids
- Service and administrative fees
- Transportation
If the sepsis was avoidable, the fees you paid were unnecessary. Sepsis treatment can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars. It would be best if you were not responsible for financial losses that are someone else’s fault.
You can also sue for the pain and suffering your family member experienced to do the neglect. Pain and suffering is the legal term for physical, mental, and emotional harm. Sepsis is very painful, and it can take months to recover.
If your loved one passed as a result of sepsis, you may seek loss of consortium, which is legal jargon for the loss of a family member. Awards from wrongful death cases do not have a fixed amount and will vary based on the case.
Likewise, you can seek financial awards to reimburse you for the cost of a funeral and burial. This can include the expenses for a casket, headstone, and more.
For a free legal consultation with a Sepsis Lawyer serving Fort Worth, call (800) 794-0444
How Our Legal Team Can Help
Our legal team has the resources to investigate sepsis in nursing home claims. We can help gather the proofs you need to support your case. Let us work while you focus on caring for your loved one.
A Fort Worth sepsis lawyer from our legal team can negotiate with the insurance company for the reimbursement you seek. Insurance providers are for-profit businesses that will try to pay you the minimum or nothing at all. Although we fight for your compensation, you will decide to accept the settlement or go to court.
There are no up-front fees from our team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm. We work on a contingency basis, which means our fee comes from your lawsuit reward. Call us at (800) 842-6336 and speak to us about your case involving sepsis while living in a nursing home.
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