When we go to a hospital for care, we don’t anticipate becoming ill with a secondary condition caused by the hospital stay itself, yet a hospital can be a hotbed of infectious diseases when administrators or staff are negligent in infection-prevention measures.
If you or a loved one suffered harm from a hospital-acquired infection (HAI) in Chicago, contact us at Smith LaCien for a free case consultation with a Chicago hospital negligence lawyer to learn about your legal rights and the options available to you.
At Smith LaCien, we fight tirelessly for the rights of injury victims against powerful companies and their large insurance providers. We provide the following advantages:
Our track record of recovering over $3.5 billion for clients puts a strong, well-respected legal voice behind your claim.
Viral, bacterial, and fungal infections can be transmitted between patients through improperly cleaned equipment or from inadequate staff handwashing. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), about one out of every 31 hospital patients develops a hospital-acquired infection.
The most common HAIs in Chicago and elsewhere include the following:
Most hospital-borne infections in Chicago and elsewhere stem from dangerous pathogens such as MRSA, E. coli, Staphylococcus bacteria, and Candida.
A hospital, surgical center, clinic, or other medical facility may be held liable for a patient’s hospital-acquired infection if the patient suffered serious harm, resulting in economic and non-economic damages or wrongful death. While most medical malpractice claims are against individual doctors, a hospital-acquired infection is the direct result of hospital negligence in the administration’s failure to properly train or monitor its employees, sterilize equipment, or respond appropriately to infections, leaving the hospital liable.
Proving liability requires evidence demonstrating the following legal standards of medical malpractice:
It takes an in-depth investigation and access to medical expert testimony and other resources to make a compelling claim to recover damages after a hospital-acquired infection.
Infections can cause lengthy hospital stays, require medical treatment and medications, and sometimes cause preventable wrongful death to patients. A successful claim doesn’t erase the harm, but recovers common damages as follows, depending on the details of the case:
Wrongful death damages may be available to the spouse, parent, or child of a patient who died due to a hospital-acquired infection in Chicago.
Few illnesses are as distressing as a hospital-acquired infection when you or a loved one has suffered preventable harm while you were depending on skilled care. Call or contact our Chicago medical malpractice lawyer at Smith LaCien online to learn how we can help you achieve the financial accountability you deserve.
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