Texas residents who get an infection may suffer from a complication called sepsis. It arises when the infection reaches the bloodstream, and the body releases chemicals into the blood in response. Sepsis is characterized by inflammation across the body. Everyone runs the risk for sepsis, but the risk is highest among children and the elderly. The condition can cause organ failure, damage tissue and even kill the patient.
Sepsis and deaths in hospitals
Many sepsis patients die in the hospital. The medical journal The Lancet released the results of a new study saying that sepsis is the leading cause of death in hospitals. In 2017, there were 11 million people in the U.S. who died from this condition. That’s out of 48.9 million cases. Sepsis is one of the leading killers worldwide, being linked to one out of every five deaths.
What doctors and others can do
All crucial to preventing sepsis are washing your hands, cleaning and bandaging cuts, and knowing the first signs of an infection, which include redness, swelling and a fever. Doctors must do their part, too, because they can indirectly cause sepsis by failing to diagnose and treat an infection in time. It’s no wonder, then, that sepsis is a factor in many medical malpractice claims.
Seeing a lawyer about your case
Perhaps you suffered from sepsis because of a doctor’s negligence. The effects may have been far-reaching; perhaps you lost a limb as a result. Whatever your situation, know that a medical malpractice lawyer may be able to help you file a claim against the doctor or the hospital that employed him or her. The lawyer might even hire investigators to look into the case and help prove negligence. If successful, you may be compensated for all economic and non-economic damages.
