Sepsis is a condition where the treatment for an infection causes inflammation throughout the body. This can lead to organ damage, organ failure, and death. Sepsis is a serious condition that hospitals monitor continuously throughout the treatment process. Unfortunately, there are times when sepsis can happen if errors occur.
If you or a loved one is injured because of an error that led to sepsis, and you believe it is the result of nursing home abuse or neglect, you and your family may be entitled to compensation. To discuss your legal options, consult a Tucson sepsis lawyer about your case. Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm. Our legal team can review your case for free and discuss your legal options with you.
Signs of Sepsis
The Mayo Clinic conducts research into medical practices and applications, including how to identify and treat sepsis. When sepsis sets, it generally only affects internal organs without visible external features. However, there may be external signs that sepsis has set in. These signs include:
- Difficulty breathing: Sepsis causes inflammation, which can place pressure on the lungs. This pressure makes it difficult to breathe.
- Discolored skin: The inflammation caused by sepsis can cause bruising or discolored skin. The severity of the skin color changes can be used to indicate how serious the sepsis is.
- Reduced brain function: A sudden reduction in brain function, including speech problems or a lack of responsiveness, can indicate that the swelling caused by sepsis is restricting blood flow to the brain.
- Visible heart stress: Signs of heart stress while having injections or IV solutions could be an early sign that sepsis is restricting blood flow throughout the body.
- Chills: As blood flow slows, body temperature also drops. In response, the body begins to shake to generate heat. Getting the chills can be an early sign that sepsis is setting in.
- Pain reactions: As sepsis causes organ stress and damage, it can also cause localized pain. Monitoring these pain responses may show that sepsis is beginning to affect different organs.
- Unconsciousness: If a patient falls unconscious without a preceding incident, it could be a reaction to sepsis reducing blood flow.
There are other signs of sepsis that are not covered on this list. If any of these signs appear, contact emergency medical treatment services immediately. Quick intervention can prevent this problem from becoming much worse.
Prevalence of Sepsis
Sepsis is difficult to diagnose since it has few outward signs and those signs can be caused by other illnesses. It is monitored closely since it can be life-threatening and happen at any time. The elderly seem to be most at risk. According to the National Institutes of Health, nursing home residents were seven times more likely to suffer severe sepsis than non-nursing home residents.
If you or your loved one developed sepsis while residing in a nursing home, and you believe the nursing home or staff to be negligent, you may be able to hold the at-fault party accountable. A Tucson sepsis lawyer can investigate the situation and let you know if you have a case.
For a free legal consultation with a Sepsis Lawyer serving Tucson, call (800) 794-0444
Long-Term Impacts of Sepsis
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention examines conditions that can have long-term health effects, including sepsis. The long-term impact of sepsis depends on the severity and length of each case. In mild cases, the patient heals without any lasting effects. In more severe cases, organ damage can reduce the functionality of some organs, or make it necessary to have a transplant performed. This organ damage may never fully heal and leave the patient with serious and debilitating physical problems.
Another possible impact of sepsis is death. Left unresolved for too long, the organ damage caused by sepsis can force organs to shut down. This is the most common way that sepsis causes death. However, it can happen in other ways. Sepsis can kill quickly, which is one of the reasons why medical facilities take it very seriously and monitor patients continuously.
Recovering from sepsis can also have an effect on patients’ mental status. It can be a scary and traumatizing experience for patients. Mental health care resources can help alleviate this effect if the person seeks help after the incident.
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Prevalence of Sepsis in Nursing Homes
Sepsis is a growing problem in nursing homes. Nursing homes are not making patients more susceptible to sepsis, but they do have a greater chance of not responding in time to prevent damage or death. Nursing homes are becoming overcrowded and understaffed. This means that there are fewer staff members monitoring patients for sepsis, giving them a high chance of developing sepsis before a quick treatment option can be provided.
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Determining Liability
Determining liability in sepsis cases can be difficult. There are many factors that go into the process, and a seemingly small change can have drastic effects on the outcome of the case. While sepsis can happen in care facilities, not every facility can be held responsible. It takes a special set of circumstances for this to happen.
For a facility to be found liable for a sepsis incident, there generally needs to be some level of negligence. Medical care facilities check patients’ vitals often and try to screen for potential infections when possible. If the facility fails to monitor a patient or ignores information that shows that a patient may be developing sepsis, it may be possible to hold the facility accountable. Building a case can be complicated, which is why you should have a lawyer review the case before taking any further action.
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Contact a Tucson Sepsis Lawyer Today
Sepsis can be a dangerous condition to develop. If you or a loved one develops medical problems related to sepsis, and you believe it was the result of nursing home abuse or neglect, consult a lawyer to see what your legal options are. You may be able to seek compensation from the nursing home. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm to speak to our legal team. We can review your case for free and there are no up front or out of pocket fees. We only receive payment from the settlement we secure on your behalf.
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