Undiagnosed Sepsis Attorney in Pittsburgh, PA

Sepsis is a complication that results in an infection of the patient’s bloodstream.  Typically, sepsis results from failure to properly diagnose and treat a hospital-acquired infection.  Sepsis, which can be life-threatening, can be caused by even a relatively minor infection that is not properly treated. Not every case of sepsis is caused by medical negligence.  However, when your doctor or healthcare provider’s unreasonable failure to diagnose and treat your infection leads to such a serious complication. A skilled Pittsburgh failure to diagnose sepsis lawyer can help you get the compensation you deserve.

At Matzus Law, LLC, our top-rated Pittsburgh medical malpractice lawyer has the experience necessary to get the maximum compensation possible in your case. Jason Matzus has been fighting for justice for victims of medical malpractice in Pittsburgh and across Western Pennsylvania for over 20 years.  Our practice is dedicated to helping injured clients get the full compensation they need to get their lives back on track.

If you were diagnosed with sepsis and suspect that a delay or error in treatment caused or contributed to the harm you have suffered, call us today.  We offer a free case review so that we can discuss options in your specific case.

Understanding How Sepsis is Contracted

Sepsis is essentially caused by your body’s overreaction to an infection.  Sometimes, your immune system is not able to fight off the infection and the body overreacts—and can begin to shut down.  Sepsis essentially means that the bacteria from the infection has gone into the patient’s bloodstream.

Any patient is at risk for contracting sepsis absent proper monitoring and treatment.  However, some patients are more likely to recover than others.  High-risk groups for sepsis include:

• Pregnant women
• Older adults
• Children under the age of one
• Patients with chronic underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, cancer or lung/kidney diseases
• Patients with weakened immune systems, including those who have undergone chemo or radiation treatment for cancer

Sepsis can also lead to blood clots and other health conditions.  For most patients, surviving sepsis is only the first step on a long road to recovery.  You may be facing years of recovery and some patients continue to experience ongoing symptoms like pain, insomnia, and poor cognitive function well after they have “recovered”.

In almost all cases, the fact that the patient contracts sepsis means that something has gone wrong.  Of course, not all cases give rise to a medical malpractice claim.  To make sure your rights are protected, it’s important to speak with an experienced lawyer to determine whether you have the right to be compensated for the serious and ongoing health issues caused by sepsis.

Symptoms of Sepsis

Identifying sepsis as quickly as possible is key to successful treatment and recovery.  Sepsis can quickly progress into septic shock, which is much more likely to result in death.  Left untreated, sepsis can be fatal.  Signs that you or your loved one may have contracted sepsis include:

• Fever
• Systolic blood pressure reading of less than or equal to 100 mm HG
• A respiratory rate that is more than or equal to 22 breaths per minute
• Changes to the patient’s mental status

When you are hospitalized, your doctor is responsible for carefully monitoring your condition the entire time.  Infection is one of the key things that your doctor should be looking for during this monitoring.  At the first sign of infection, an appropriate treatment protocol should begin.  Failure to treat the infection can lead to sepsis.

Once you have begun treatment for an infection, your doctor should monitor you even more closely to look for signs of sepsis.  Unfortunately, doctors and healthcare staff don’t always monitor patients as closely as they should.

In these cases, it is important to speak with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer as quickly as possible.  If you or your loved one contracted sepsis, call Matzus Law, LLC today to learn more about your legal rights.  Our lawyer can review your case and quickly jump into action to preserve the evidence needed to get fair compensation for the additional harm you have suffered.

Getting Fair Compensation After a Sepsis Diagnosis

As noted, a sepsis diagnosis almost always means that something has gone wrong.  When the doctor, hospital or nurse made an unreasonable mistake that caused you to suffer more than necessary, you deserve to be compensated for that mistake.  The medical malpractice lawyer at Matzus Law, LLC will fight to get a compensation package that accounts for your past, current and future needs, including:

• All medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Lost future earning potential
• Diminished quality of life
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Damages for wrongful death, including loss of your loved one’s company and financial support

Many victims of sepsis see their bills pile up quickly.  When a doctor or hospital was negligent and caused your condition to worsen, they should be required to provide compensation for their mistakes.  Our lawyer is here to advocate on your behalf through the entire legal process so that you can begin to get your life back on track.

Schedule Your Free Case Review with Matzus Law Today

When the stakes are high, you need a lawyer who is committed to your fight.  At Matzus Law, LLC, we leave no stone unturned and no option unexplored in our fight to get full and fair compensation for our clients.  If you contracted sepsis or lost a loved one to sepsis or septic shock, call an experienced Pittsburgh failure to diagnose sepsis lawyer today for a free case review.

Frequently Asked Questions About Claims Based on Failure to Diagnose Sepsis in Pittsburgh, PA

What can the doctor do to treat sepsis once it has been identified?

Early detection of sepsis is key to a successful recovery. Once the doctor has identified sepsis, the treatment should be aggressive. IV therapy and antibiotics can be very effective in treating sepsis and preventing the infection from causing septic shock.

I’m recovering from sepsis and have been out of work for some time. Isn’t it expensive to hire a lawyer?

Our lawyers at Matzus Law, LLC understand that many victims of medical malpractice are in a similar financial situation. That’s why we work on a contingency basis, which means you don’t have to pay us anything upfront. We only recover our attorneys’ fees if we win compensation in your case.