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Healthcare-Acquired Infections
Healthcare-Acquired Infections (HAIs) are infections that patients acquire while being treated at a healthcare facility. They are a major, yet often preventable, threat to patient safety. On any given day, one out of every twenty-five patients has at least one of these infections.
HAIs are estimated to be responsible for patients having to stay and average of 17.6 additional days in the hospital, costing each patient approximately $1,100 in additional medical expenses. Although the CDC reports rates of certain HAIs are decreasing, it is still estimated that up to 99,000 people die each year from these mostly preventable infections.
Sites and Types of Infection
There are four major categories of healthcare-acquired infections:
- Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections
- Surgical Site Infections
- Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections
- Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia
There are multiple microorganisms responsible for these infections. However, currently, the most dangerous and prevalent are Clostridium difficile (C.diffcile) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA). These two particular strains of bacteria are responsible for the majority of deaths associated with HAIs.
Who Should be Held Responsible?
If you believe that you or someone you love is suffering from, or was sickened by, a healthcare-acquired infection, you may have a personal injury case. To collect compensation, you will need to prove negligence on the part of the hospital or the healthcare professionals who work there.
Situations that are grounds for holding the hospital liable are lack of “best practice” infection control measures (poor sanitary conditions, use of infected instruments, absence of appropriate safeguards) or poor implementation of the infection control measures by the hospital staff (someone, somewhere did not do their job properly).
Legal Counsel
If you suspect you or someone you care about is the victim of medical negligence that led to a healthcare acquired infection, you should seek the counsel of an experienced Chicago personal injury lawyer. When you are in the hospital, you are literally trusting the medical professionals who are caring for you with your life. When this trust is broken, and you suffer because of their negligence, you have a right to receive compensation for your suffering.
At Shea Law Group, we have handled thousands of personal injury cases, and many of them involve preventable infections. Reach out to us at (877)-365-0040 to speak with one of our knowledgeable and dedicated Chicago personal injury lawyers. We understand all that you are going through and we are here to help. Remember, you have nothing to lose, because we never charge a cent unless we win compensation for you.
