When you go to the hospital, you expect to get better. Unfortunately, hospital-acquired infections can make matters worse. On any given day, 1 in 31 patients has a hospital-acquired infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Statistics show nearly 1.7 million patients get infections from a hospital visit each year, resulting in 99,000 deaths.
But statistics also show that 70% of hospital-acquired infections could have been prevented.
If you or someone you love has been the victim of a hospital-acquired infection, you may have been the victim of medical negligence. Contact Fieger Law today to see if you have a case.
WHAT IS A HOSPITAL-ACQUIRED INFECTION (HAI)?
Hospital-acquired infections (and hospital-related infections), also known as HAIs, are infections that occur in patients after they have been admitted to the hospital for unrelated conditions. Often, patients are infected within the first 48 hours of hospitalization.
We have all heard of “superbugs” that become resistant to antibiotics and medical intervention. Unfortunately, a wide array of dangerous bacteria resides in hospital and clinical settings, and hospitalized patients often already have compromised immune systems that make them especially susceptible to these bacteria.
Types of HAIs include:
- Staph infections
- Pneumonia
- Bloodstream infections
- Surgical site infections
- Urinary tract infections
- Meningitis
- “Flesh-eating” bacteria
- Sepsis
While many of these diseases can be successfully treated, they can be dangerous and even fatal. Most of the time, they are the result of medical negligence. Doctors and healthcare workers are held to the strictest of standards when it comes to care, safety, and hygiene. If they do not comply, patients are put at risk—and hospital-related infections may occur.
Common causes of HAIs include:
- These flexible lighted tubes get threaded through the mouth, throat, and stomach into the top of the small intestine and are almost impossible to sterilize.
- Catheters left in too long can result in urinary tract infections of the urethra, bladder, uterus, and kidneys.
- Ventilators, which expose patients’ lungs to dangerous pneumonia.
- Negligence caring for surgical wounds.
- Contaminated vials.
- Medical professionals’ failure to properly sterilize medical instruments and surroundings.
- Facility and organizational problems related to HVAC systems, water systems, or the placement of hospital beds.
- Failure of medical professionals to properly wash their hands.
- Improper prescribing or misuse of antibiotics.
Can You Sue a Hospital for an Infection?
Patients can absolutely sue hospitals and healthcare providers for infections acquired due to medical negligence.
Medical facilities have a duty to maintain strict hygiene standards and follow proper sterilization protocols to prevent the spread of infections. If a patient develops an infection due to unsanitary conditions, improper surgical techniques, or other negligent practices, they may have grounds for a medical malpractice claim. Proving negligence and causation is crucial in these cases.
Types of Damages in Medical Malpractice
When filing a medical malpractice claim against a negligent healthcare provider, patients can seek various types of damages. These may include:
- Economic damages, such as past and future medical expenses, lost wages, and loss of earning capacity.
- Non-economic damages, like pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.
- Punitive damages, which might be awarded in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct to punish the healthcare provider and deter future negligence.
Why Choose Fieger Law?
Attorney Geoffrey Fieger and the team at Fieger Law have a proven track record of securing record-breaking verdicts and settlements for their clients in medical malpractice cases. For instance, Fieger won a staggering $144.5 million verdict in the birth injury case of VanSlembrouck v. Halperin, et al., one of the largest ever awarded in a medical malpractice case in the nation. Additionally, Fieger secured a $136.7 million verdict in 2018 for a 10-year-old girl who suffered complications from spinal fusion surgery at Children’s Hospital of Michigan.
Whether someone suffers an infection or another type of illness or injury caused by medical negligence or neglect, our team knows how to advocate for the needs of these medical malpractice victims.
FIEGER LAW: SECURING THE NATION’S HIGHEST MALPRACTICE VERDICTS
For over 70 years, the medical malpractice experts at Fieger Law have fought for victims’ rights. If you or your family member suffers from a medical mistake or a hospital infection, Geoffrey Fieger and the expert attorneys at Fieger Law can help. Contact Michigan’s top law firm specializing in medical malpractice cases today.