Sarasota Sepsis & Infections Attorney
If you have an elderly loved one who was diagnosed with sepsis, you should know that the condition may have resulted from lack of care or neglect at a nursing home or assisted living facility. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities have a duty to monitor patients for signs of infection and to ensure that patients receive care to treat an infection properly as soon as possible. Once sepsis occurs, the resident will need emergency medical attention, and the facility may be liable for any resulting harm. An experienced Sarasota sepsis & infections attorney at our firm can help you with your claim.
What is Sepsis in Sarasota?
The Mayo Clinic defines sepsis as “a potentially life-threatening condition that occurs when the body’s response to an infection damages its own tissues.” As the Mayo Clinic clarifies, “when the infection-fighting processes turn on the body, they cause organs to function poorly and abnormally,” and as a result, sepsis can occur and “may progress to septic shock.” If sepsis is not treated early with antibiotics and IV fluids, the patients may not survive.
Nursing homes and assisted living facilities have a duty to monitor residents with infections for symptoms of sepsis, which can include delirium or a shift in the resident’s mental status, a dangerous drop in blood pressure, and a high respiratory rate. When a resident develops septic shock, that patient will need medication to maintain a functional blood pressure and will have high levels of lactic acid in the blood, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Sarasota Infections Resulting in Sepsis
Nursing home patients who have infections that are not properly treated and monitored can develop sepsis and, eventually, septic shock. When nursing home residents develop sepsis, they need to be transferred to a hospital for immediate treatment. While nursing home residents can experience many different kinds of infections, the following are common infections that can become serious if treated improperly:
- Open wounds, such as from an open fracture or from physical abuse;
- Bed sores;
- UTIs;
- Gastrointestinal infections;
- Respiratory tract infections;
- Lung infections;
- Skin infections; and
- Post-operation incisions or wounds that are not properly treated and cleaned and develop infections.
Statute of Limitations for a Sarasota Sepsis and Infections Claim
Nursing home negligence claims for sepsis or septic shock usually must be filed within two years from the date that the nursing home resident fails to receive adequate care and develops sepsis. It is critical to speak with a lawyer to ensure that you file your claim in a timely manner. If the two-year clock runs out on your case, Florida law says that your claim will become time-barred.
When sepsis or septic shock lead to a nursing home resident’s death, there is also a two-year statute of limitations on the claim, but the clock will begin ticking on the date of the nursing home resident’s death. A Sarasota sepsis lawyer can provide you with more information about filing a wrongful death lawsuit in connection with nursing home negligence.
Contact Kohn Law Today
Kohn Law is here to assist you with your case concerning infections or sepsis in a nursing home or assisted living facility. Contact our experienced Sarasota sepsis & infections attorney today for assistance with your claim.
