Sepsis Compensation Claims
If you’ve suffered sepsis following a medical or surgical procedure, you may be entitled to claim for compensation for your suffering. Sepsis is a very serious condition which can kill very soon after infection. Other patients may lose limbs or suffer organ or tissue damage. We can help you claim for any illness or injury you suffered as a result of sepsis.
If you’ve lost a loved one or family member to sepsis, we can help you claim compensation and seek answers for how they came to contract it. This can be a distressing experience, but we support you in making it as clear as we can to help you plan for life after your loss.
Our specialist team provides expert legal advice in different languages to clients who have been involved in medical negligence claims, including sepsis cases. They operate on a No Win No Fee basis, meaning that you won’t pay any fees unless your case is successful.
How can sepsis arise?
Sepsis is another name for septicaemia – a condition which can result in organ failure and even death if it isn’t diagnosed and treated very quickly. If you have sepsis, your body’s immune system over-reacts to infections and releases chemicals into the blood stream which can cause severe inflammation, reducing blood flow to your organs and other areas of the body.
To be treated effectively, sepsis must be spotted very early – typically within an hour of it developing – before it causes severe harm. The difficulty with this, is that the symptoms can appear relatively harmless and resemble those seen with other, less harmful conditions. Those symptoms include chills, sweating, muscle cramps, a fast heart rate, difficulty breathing and general confusion.
Sadly, around one in three people contracting sepsis are killed, with others suffering long-lasting effects such as the loss of a limb. Understandably, hospitals are increasingly vigilant when it comes to sepsis, thanks to publicity and awareness campaigns around the devastating effects of the condition.
How does negligence arise in the diagnosis and treatment of sepsis?
As with any medical negligence case, negligence can arise due to an error (such as incorrect or unsafe procedures) or an omission (such as failing to test for or spot a clear sign of sepsis) on the part of the surgical team. Any invasive surgery carries an element of risk of infections, including sepsis.
If you have a weaker immune system, you may have a higher underlying risk of contracting sepsis. For example, it is more common in much younger and older patients, as well as those with conditions such as HIV and those with a history of chemotherapy treatment to cancer.
If medical staff failed to fully assess you before surgery, missed signs of sepsis during or after the surgery, or weren’t sufficiently vigilant after your procedure, there may be a claim for negligence.
How much compensation might I receive after contracting sepsis?
The amount of compensation you receive very much depends on your specific circumstances. That’s why we recommend that you get in touch with us promptly so that we can discuss the details of your case with you.
You may be able to claim for the following if they are a direct result of your injuries:
- Compensation for distress and upheaval
- Loss of earnings and financial losses incurred
- Medical costs, prescription fees, care and rehabilitation costs
- Adaptations to your home or vehicle
- Damage to your property
- Travel expenses incurred
We can help you assess your future needs and work with you to agree the level of compensation that you may be entitled to as a result of contracting sepsis.
Do I have a valid claim for compensation?
If you can answer yes to all three of the following questions, we recommend that you contact us to discuss your circumstances further:
- Was the incident within the last three years?
- Was someone else to blame for the incident?
- Were you injured as a result of the incident?
Answering ‘yes’ to all three doesn’t mean that a successful claim is certain. However, these questions are key to the claims process. Answering yes to all three does indicate that you have a greater chance of being entitled to claim. Getting prompt, specialist legal advice could be beneficial.
Because of the three-year time limit, it’s important that you contact us promptly so that we can start the process for you.
How do I begin a sepsis compensation claim?
Call us on 0208 1111 911 or contact us through the website and we’ll discuss your circumstances with you. The first call typically takes about 15 minutes and in that time we can usually determine whether or not it’s realistic to pursue a claim for compensation.
