The Top Hospital Infection Attorneys

On any given day, one in 25 hospital patients has at least one infection that they acquired while receiving treatment at a hospital, a recent survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found. And each year, an estimated 75,000 patients die in U.S. hospitals as a result of those infections.

While the rate of hospital-acquired infections, sometimes called healthcare-associated infections or healthcare-acquired infections, has declined in recent years, the exposure to the bacterium and viruses that cause the problem are still too often the result of negligence on the part of the medical institution.

Hospital-acquired infections are caused in part because hospital patients – many of whom have compromised immune systems – are close to one another. But in many cases, patients are allowed to encounter bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses, because the healthcare providers do not follow proper procedures, including disinfection protocols.

Ross Feller Casey attorneys have successfully litigated a long list of multimillion-dollar lawsuits involving tragic results from infections. They include:

• $23.1 million verdict for an infection that led to amputations
• $17.8 million recovery in a case involving an infection that led to thrombosis and amputation
• $16 million in a case involving the failure to diagnose and treat an infection in an infant

Most recently, hospital infection lawyers at Ross Feller Casey won a major settlement in the highly publicized pseudomonas bacterial outbreak at Geisinger Medical Center in Pennsylvania.

Between early July and late September of 2019, eight babies treated at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania, became seriously ill with pseudomonas bacterial infections. State health officials later found that the hospital had routinely failed to sanitize the equipment used to prepare breast milk, which led to the contamination.

Ross Feller Casey founding partner Matt Casey successfully litigated the case (the amount confidential) on behalf of several of the infants' parents. In coverage of the case, The New York Times reported that it was "extraordinary" that a hospital admitted "fault as a condition of a civil settlement."

How Do Healthcare-Acquired Infections Occur? 

Healthcare-acquired infections are typically caused by bacteria or other pathogens that are present in medical settings. When someone is sick or injured, and they go to the doctor or for a hospital visit, they may be exposed to these pathogens. Because their immune systems may be compromised due to their current medical condition, their bodies may not be able to fight off the infection.

If the healthcare professionals don't adhere to protocols regarding patient safety (like proper hand hygiene and sterilizing equipment properly) or the facility isn't as clean as possible, patients may develop an HAI as a result. 

A healthcare-associated infection can happen in any type of medical care setting, including:

• Outpatient facilities (doctors' offices, healthcare clinics, etc.)
• Acute care hospitals
• Dialysis centers
• Ambulatory surgical centers
• Long-term care facilities (rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, etc.)

What Are The Most Common Hospital-Acquired Infections?  

Numerous types of HAIs can harm patients. The most common tend to involve contaminated medical devices like ventilators, catheters, and surgical instruments. Examples of common types of HAIs include: 

• Catheter-associated urinary tract infections 
• Central line-associated bloodstream infections 
• Surgical site infections 
• Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus 
• Ventilator-associated pneumonia 

These types of hospital-acquired infections are not rare. But when they are treated promptly and appropriately, patients have good chances of recovery.

The danger comes when HAIs are left undiagnosed and untreated or when there is a delay in diagnosis and medical treatment. In those cases, sepsis can set in, making it much more challenging to treat. Sepsis can cause some significant complications, including organ failure, tissue damage, and death. Sepsis is one of the significant causes of death for people who have been treated in emergency rooms and intensive care units. 

What Types Of Lawsuits Can Be Brought For An HAI?

Hospital infection lawyers can file a medical malpractice claim against a hospital or medical professional related to hospital-acquired infections for several reasons. They include: 

• Delay in diagnosis or treatment of an HAI
• Failure to diagnose or treat an HAI 
• Failure to properly monitor patient symptoms

How To Find Hospital Infection Lawyers In Philadelphia, PA?

If you or a loved one has suffered a hospital-acquired infection that caused injury or illness, you must have your case reviewed by experienced hospital infection lawyers in Philadelphia, PA. Medical malpractice cases are complicated, and they typically require medical experts' assistance to determine how the negligence occurred and who is at fault. Ross Feller Casey has a team of leading physicians right on staff, three of whom are also lawyers, who review medical records to determine the best course of legal action.

Free Consultation With Philadelphia Hospital Infection Attorneys

If you acquired an infection while in the hospital or other medical setting, you might be entitled to compensation to cover your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Contact our office today for a free case evaluation by a Philadelphia hospital infection attorney at Ross Feller Casey.

All hospital infection lawsuits are handled on a contingency basis, so there are no costs to you until a financial recovery is made for your case.