Virginia Nursing Home Infections Lawyer

Nursing homes are expected to provide the care and compassion their patients need to recover and live a healthy and happy life. For this reason, no one places their loved one in a nursing home expecting them to get sicker. Unfortunately, this is a reality for many nursing home patients suffering from preventable infections.

Infections are a leading cause of illness in nursing homes and other medical settings, and in most cases, poor sanitation is the primary cause. If you or someone you love contracted an infection in a nursing home, you may be entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering.

By working with a Virginia nursing home infections lawyer, you may be able to file a civil suit against the liable party.

How Do Infections Spread?

Infections are often transmitted through the air and sometimes through the exchange of bodily fluids. The bacteria and viruses that cause infections can survive for days on unsanitary surfaces, but most can be killed using everyday cleaning products. When nursing homes fail to keep their facilities clean and sanitary, they are placing the safety of their patients in jeopardy.

As previously mentioned, infections are transmitted in a variety of ways. However, in nursing homes and other medical facilities, infections are most likely to be caused by:

  • Surgical incisions
  • Catheters
  • Surgical equipment and hardware
  • Blood transfusions
  • Ventilators

Patient rooms also pose a potential threat to otherwise healthy individuals. If they are not cleaned regularly, especially after housing seriously ill patients, the furniture and fixtures in them can become ripe with bacteria.

Common Nursing Home Infections

Certain types of bacteria and viruses tend to thrive in nursing homes. A few of these viruses include:

  • Commonly known as MRSA, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a deadly bacteria that infects countless patients in nursing homes and hospitals each year. As its name implies, it is resistant to most antibiotics, and it is usually transmitted during surgical procedures.
  • C. diff, officially known as Clostridium difficile, is an infection that impacts the colon. It is most often transmitted by patients, doctors, and employees who fail to wash their hands or take common-sense sanitation measures. It often spreads quickly in close living quarters.
  • Typically caused by Group A Streptococcus, necrotizing fasciitis is a serious infection that eats away at soft tissues and muscles. As the bacteria spreads across the body, it consumes healthy cells and can result in sepsis, toxic shock syndrome, and even death. Many survivors are required to undergo amputations of the affected area.

How Nursing Homes Can Prevent the Spread of Infections

After surviving an infection, many patients assume they are to blame for their ordeal. This is not always a correct assumption, and in many cases, infections can be the result of staff negligence and a lack of facility oversight. Nursing home administrators have an obligation to ensure they hire clean workers and their facility is properly cleaned on a regular basis.

Nursing homes that do not take these basic measures can be held legally accountable by a Virginia nursing home infections lawyer. An attorney may be able to help patients obtain compensation for their suffering, medical bills, and everyday living expenses.

Get in Touch With a Virginia Nursing Home Infections Attorney Today

If you or someone you known contracted an infection in a nursing home, it is normal to feel angry and confused. Infections can be painful and emotionally taxing, but the real pain comes when the responsible party refuses to admit wrongdoing.

Despite this, patients can fight back and get the justice they deserve. Get in touch with a Virginia nursing home infections lawyer today.