When your loved one can no longer care for themselves, turning to an assisted living facility or nursing home may be in their best interests. However, the last thing you expect is for these healthcare providers to neglect or abuse their patients. Unfortunately, this happens far more often than you might think, as nursing home residents have been known to suffer severe injuries and develop serious illnesses, including sepsis.
If your family member has become septic and you believe nursing home neglect or abuse is the cause, make sure you get a compassionate nursing home abuse attorney on your side who can help you protect your loved one and hold responsible parties accountable for their negligence. Connect with an experienced South Memphis nursing home sepsis lawyer at our firm and schedule a free consultation to learn more about the steps you must take to maximize your financial compensation.
Symptoms of Sepsis and Septic Shock
You may not initially be sure what is wrong with your family member when you come in to visit or receive a phone call from the nursing home facility. Some of the most common signs and symptoms of sepsis and septic shock include:
- Fever
- Confusion
- Shortness of breath
- Low body temp
- Disorientation
- High heart rate
- Clammy skin
- Rapid breathing
- Weekend pulse
- Shivering
- Rash
There are also several ways the nursing home facility should be able to tell your family member may have become septic. They may have elevated lactic acid levels or even require prescription medication in order to maintain systolic blood pressure. The nursing home’s failure to recognize the signs and symptoms could be considered neglect or negligence. If you suspect that your loved one in a nursing home is suffering from sepsis, talk to our lawyers in South Memphis.
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How Nursing Home Abuse Leads to Sepsis
Septic shock is 100% preventable in nursing homes. Medical professionals are supposed to provide 24-hour care to your family members and be ready to recognize the signs of sepsis, diagnose septic shock, and treat your loved one before their condition deteriorates, and they need to be hospitalized or obtain further medical interventions.
Sadly, sepsis in nursing homes is common due to neglect. Some examples of such neglect could include:
- Failure to properly care for a nursing home resident’s wounds
- Failure to follow prevention protocols
- Lack of sufficient handwashing
- Improper use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Lack of supervision
- Failure to reposition the patient frequently
- Misdiagnosis
Whether the nursing home staff members unintentionally allowed your loved one to develop an infection that led to sepsis or intentionally neglected them, they should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. With help from a nursing home sepsis attorney in South Memphis, you can make them pay and demand justice for your loved one.
What to Do if You Suspect Your Loved One Is Suffering from Sepsis
If you suspect your family member has an infection that could lead to septic shock, it is crucial that you obtain medical treatment immediately. If the nursing home or assisted living facility fails to take your concerns seriously, call 911 and have your family member transported to the emergency room.
From there, you can contact a nursing home sepsis attorney to discuss the circumstances of your case and explore your options in South Memphis further. You may want to consider removing your loved one from this nursing home facility and finding a new facility that you can trust to ensure your family member is taken care of.
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Proving Liability for Sepsis in Nursing Homes
Your nursing home sepsis lawyer in South Memphis must be able to prove liability based on a preponderance of the evidence. This means the evidence we collect must convince the jury that the defendant had a duty of care to your loved one, breached this duty of care in some way, often through neglect, and that your family member suffered considerable illness, injuries, or damages due to the defendant’s conduct.
Collectively, these are referred to as the “elements of negligence.” Since infections that cause sepsis to develop are one of the most common signs of negligence, neglect, and abuse in nursing home facilities, it is crucial that you take action to prevent your loved one from suffering any further.
Evidence to Prove Neglect or Abuse in Nursing Homes
Since the burden of proof in South Memphis nursing home sepsis and neglect lawsuits is based on a preponderance of the evidence, it is imperative that our attorneys collect valuable evidence that can be used to prove the liable party’s negligence and neglect. Examples of such evidence could include:
- Witness testimony
- Medical records, including hospital charts
- Testimony from medical experts
- Photos of open wounds, bedsores, and other injuries that typically lead to septic shock
- Facts from the emergency room reports
Who Could Be Liable for Your Loved One’s Septic Shock
Anyone and everyone who might have played a part in your loved one’s sepsis diagnosis should be held accountable. Nearly anyone responsible for your family member’s medical treatment and care could be at fault. Some of the most common parties sued for nursing home sepsis include:
- Certified nursing assistants (CNAs)
- Surgeons
- Nurses
- The nursing home facility
- Nursing home staff members
- The nursing home’s parent company
Since the nursing home facility and parent company are ultimately responsible for the actions of their staff members through vicarious liability, you may have the right to pursue a civil lawsuit against them and recover maximum compensation for your losses. When they violate your loved one’s right to medical care, you can make them pay and potentially prevent future instances of neglect and abuse in these nursing home facilities. For help navigating a nursing home sepsis claim, work with a South Memphis lawyer.
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How to Demand Justice After Sepsis in a Nursing Home
There are multiple ways to demand that liable parties not only compensate your family and loved one but also reduce the likelihood of nursing home neglect and abuse. Some of the options that may be available to you include:
- Reporting nursing home abuse and neglect to the Memphis Police Department
- Filing a complaint with Adult Protective Services
- Filing a complaint with the Tennessee Domestic Violence Hotline
- Filing a complaint with the Tennessee Department of Health
- Filing a medical malpractice insurance claim
- Filing a nursing home sepsis lawsuit with the help of a South Memphis attorney
Get Help from a Nursing Home Sepsis Lawyer in South Memphis Today
When your family member is diagnosed with sepsis, and their healthcare providers in their nursing home facility are to blame, you may have the right to take legal action against them. You can protect your loved one and ensure negligent nursing home facilities are brought to justice.
Meet with a reputable South Memphis nursing home sepsis lawyer at Gatti, Keltner, Bienvenu & Montesi today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about how the claims process works, the value of your damages, and who may be at fault for your loved one’s suffering.
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