Many residents in Washington DC’s nursing homes suffer from chronic conditions. Many of these conditions leave patients unable to care for their basic needs such as bathing and feeding. Still other leave residents with compromised immune systems that leave them vulnerable to infection.
While any infection is a serious matter, body-wide infections, known as sepsis, can threaten a person’s life. Sepsis can be the result of a minor infection that a person’s immune system is unable to fight. As a result, this infection travels to other parts of the body and may affect major organs.
If a nursing home does not properly recognize an infection or fails to provide proper care to prevent the spread of said infection, they may be liable for any damage that results.
A Washington DC nursing home sepsis lawyer may be able to help. A compassionate attorney could work to evaluate the effect of sepsis on a victim’s life, determine if their nursing home was responsible for its spread, and demand appropriate compensation for their injuries.
In the simplest terms, sepsis may be thought of as a body-wide infection. A simple infection sets in and left untreated spreads to the rest of the body. According to the Centers for Disease Control, sepsis can start after any infection, whether inside the body such as a urinary tract infection, or from an open wound. People over the age of 65 and patients with a chronic health conditions such as diabetes are especially vulnerable to sepsis.
Sepsis is a very serious condition that can have permanent consequences. After sepsis sets in, luck patients will be luck to escape with mere tissue damage at the site of the initial infection. More serious cases could result in organ damage or failure. Sepsis can also cause death. Because of these significant risks, nursing homes in Washington DC should be trained to recognize signs of sepsis and to prevent its spread. Failures to do so may create legal liability.
Nursing homes throughout Washington DC have a duty to care for the wellbeing of their residents. This includes a duty to provide skilled nursing care. All nursing homes must obtain a license from the Washington DC Board of Health that certifies them to operate as a skilled nursing facility.
As such, the nurses and aides employed by nursing homes should readily be able to recognize common signs of sepsis. If a nurse should recognize those signs, but fails to do so, any damage that results could give rise to a medical malpractice claim.
However, nursing homes may also cause sepsis due to their simple negligence. Minor infections in nursing homes are common. They may be the result of:
If a nursing home is responsible for the localized infection that transforms into sepsis, that nursing home may have legal liability for any damage that results.
Regardless of the theory of the case, plaintiffs have only a limited time to pursue a case. Simple negligence cases are controlled by DC’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims. Under DC Code §12-301, plaintiffs have three years from the date of the incident to file a claim. This same statute states that medical malpractice cases must also be in court within three years.
A Washington DC nursing home sepsis lawyer could help clients to establish nursing home liability and to pursue a claim under the correct portions of the law.
Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that is often preventable. Especially in situations where a person is under 24-hour medical care, such as when they are a resident in a nursing home, the onset of sepsis is inexcusable.
Sepsis occurs when a localized infection spreads to the entirety of a patient’s body. Properly trained and attentive medical staff should prevent the onset of sepsis or at least take proper steps to provide treatment after diagnosis.
Still, injuries or death resulting from sepsis in Washington DC’s nursing homes are sadly common. Whether sepsis is the result of medical malpractice or comes about from simple negligence, injured residents have the right to demand compensation. This includes payments for medical bills and mental anguish.
Contact a Washington DC nursing home sepsis lawyer today to schedule a consultation.
