We trust hospital staff to do everything necessary to ensure that the environment is a clean one so that infection isn’t caused. Hospitals are supposed to be among the most sterile environments, especially when you have to have surgery and you expect the incision to heal clean so you can get back on your feet as soon as possible. Unfortunately, that is not always the case.
There have been reports of hospital infections in Philadelphia and all around the country. These infections have ranged from surgery site infections to central line and catheter infections. Any time anything invasive is done, it is imperative that the instruments are clean to avoid infection. In 2014, a number of Philadelphia hospitals were actually penalized for their high infection rates.
With that said, something does need to be done about the causes behind hospital infections. One way to combat this issue is with the help of a Philadelphia hospital infection lawyer who is familiar with this issue and the laws surrounding medical malpractice. At Brotherly Law, we have this knowledge and can use it to build a strong claim designed to get the results that you need. We have the experience to effectively negotiate with the insurance company and will use that experience to fight for meaningful compensation that will help you move on with your life.
On a nationwide level, the number of hospital infections is astounding. Approximately 2 million people contract a hospital infection every year. What’s even more staggering is that 70 percent of these infections can be prevented with proper care and sanitation by the hospital staff. Factor in that 90,000 people die every year from these infections and it makes you wonder why they are still happening.
Because of the preventable nature of these infections, many victims can’t help but ask why this is even happening. There are hospital infection prevention methods in place, but sometimes they are not used to their full potential. Improper hand washing, improper sanitation, not wearing gloves, and using contaminated surgical instruments are some of the reasons behind these infections.
Even when a patient thinks that an infection is gone, they may find out otherwise. They may feel well and then all of a sudden notice an open sore on their body, which tells them the infection never went away. Instead, it made its way to another location. It is because of this that hospital infection treatment can be lengthy and can seriously interfere with a person’s quality of life.
Fortunately, you do have the means to fight back with the help of your malpractice attorney. While recovering compensation for loss of income due to being unable to work and other applicable costs won’t take away the fact the infection happened in the first place, it does remove a major financial burden. Financial burdens can impede healing. You need to be able to focus on what is important so that you can get well instead of having to continue your fight against a seemingly endless cycle of infections that could ultimately threaten your life.
The compensation you recover can pay for the hospital bills, checkups, therapy, rehabilitation, medication, surgery, specialist visits, current and future lost wages, and the non-economic damage of pain and suffering. Your attorney will use your medical records and a medical professional’s input, when needed, to determine how long it will take you to recover. The length of time it takes you to recover will determine the amount of compensation you need to cover the current and future costs related to the infection. In the case of wrongful death, economic damages, funeral costs, and medical bills are all considered when determining the proper amount for compensation.
A hospital infection is not a small matter in that the infection can spread and cause life threatening complications. Unfortunately, it seems that there has been an increase in hospital infections throughout Pennsylvania and around the country. If you or a loved one has suffered a hospital infection, you may have a medical malpractice case against the medical facility involved. To learn more, call Brotherly Law today at (215) 545-8500 or contact us online to request a free consultation.
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