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A Michigan sepsis infection lawyer can help if a loved one suffered harm or died in a nursing home from an untreated infection. Deciding to place a loved one in a skilled nursing facility is a difficult decision. However, when doing so, you expect the resident will be properly attended to and kept healthy within the reasons of their condition. Unfortunately, elderly nursing home residents are especially vulnerable to contracting sepsis, especially when staff members are negligent or careless in their duties.

A nursing home lawyer who is well-practiced with claims arising from infections and sepsis in Michigan nursing homes can help. If it can be established that a care facility and its staff were negligent, you can demand compensation for your loved one’s suffering. Nursing neglect lawsuits often result in significant money settlements.

What is Sepsis?

Sepsis is a severe illness that is brought on by a body’s reaction to certain infections. If not treated promptly, sepsis can be severe and even life-threatening. Unfortunately, it is common in elderly nursing home residents which, when combined with neglectful treatment from staff, could be fatal.

As a result, it is important to catch the signs and symptoms of an infection, so that a nursing home resident in Michigan could have the best chance of fighting off sepsis. Signs include confusion, an accelerated respiratory rate, lowered blood pressure, and difficulty breathing. If untreated, typical sepsis can progress to septic shock, which requires immediate medical attention.

Can you Get Sepsis in a Nursing Home?

A resident can get sepsis in a nursing home. Due to the sheer number of residents, medical staff, and visitors in a nursing home, the chances of a resident becoming ill with an infection is very high. Common types of infections in long-term nursing care facilities include:

  • MRSA
  • C. Difficile, or C-Diff
  • Gastroenteritis
  • Urinary Tract Infections
  • Wound Infections
  • Sepsis

Quite often, it is an open wound, like a bedsore or pressure ulcer, that provides the pathway for a bug or infection to get into the resident’s system.

Can you Sue a Michigan Nursing Home for Sepsis?

When a nursing home accepts a resident, they agree to provide them with personal and medical care that adheres to the current industry standards. As a result, when staff members deviate from this standard, they are legally considered to be negligent. If this negligence causes injuries to a resident, this could be grounds for a civil lawsuit. A resident or person on behalf of the resident can sue the nursing home for the harm resulting from the infection.

For example, nursing facilities must follow cleaning and infection control standards and protocols. Additionally, they must monitor all residents for signs of infection, such as fever, changes in behavior or personality, or complaints of not feeling well. Furthermore, when these signs are present, they need to be brought to the attention of the attending physician.

Therefore, nursing home staff that do not follow infection control standards or properly monitor residents for signs of infection are deviating from this established standard of care. When this leads to infections or sepsis in nursing homes, a Michigan sepsis infection lawyer will determine how deviations led to a resident’s injuries.

Michigan nursing home sepsis lawyer on phone at his desk

Proving Liability in a Sepsis Lawsuit

When nursing home staff neglect to notice an infection or signs of sepsis, they are violating the standards of care and state rights given to all elder residents in Michigan. The Patient’s Bill of Rights can be found in the Michigan Public Health Code, which details the rights that all residents in the state have.

Demonstrating that staff members violated these rights is persuasive evidence for a civil claim. To this end, an attorney who is familiar with claims arising from infections and sepsis in Michigan nursing home is needed to prove liability. Nursing home liability is usually proven with the resident’s chart and medical records, as well as through a medical expert witness.

How much are Settlements in Nursing Home Sepsis Lawsuits?

There is no established settlement amount for a nursing home sepsis lawsuit. Every case is evaluated on its own facts and damages, and each has a unique settlement value.

Factors that determine the amount of a sepsis settlement include the degree of neglect by the medical staff, the severity of the infection, and the type of medical treatment needed. Some residents require hospitalization and transfusion therapy, while others are treated with antibiotics.

In a case involving a sepsis death, the surviving family members can file a wrongful death lawsuit. These cases demand compensation for the loss of the loved one, as well as for the pain and suffering of the loved one caused by the sepsis infection prior to death. Lawsuits also demand payment of medical bills and funeral expenses.

Nursing Home Sepsis Lawsuit Case Study

A Michigan nursing home resident developed sepsis from an open bedsore. The nursing staff neglected to diagnose the infection in a prompt manner. The infection eventually caused a bone infection.

The facility started intravenous antibiotics for the infection but it was too late for effective treatment. The resident was admitted to the hospital and later died. The cause of death was sepsis.

A nursing home lawsuit was filed for the wrongful death of the resident. Prior to trial, the parties settled the wrongful death lawsuit for $385,000.

Contact a Michigan Nursing Home Sepsis Lawyer Today

Elderly nursing home residents are naturally prone to developing infections, as well as having difficulty recovering from them. If untreated, serious infections could lead to even more severe medical issues, such as organ failure, sepsis, and even death.

If your loved one suffered from an infection and sepsis in a Michigan nursing home, an experienced nursing home lawyer at The Buckfire Law Firm will help you pursue compensation.

Contact our experienced attorneys today for your free consultation. 

There are no legal fees unless you win a settlement!

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