Hospital-acquired infections occur when patients contract infections during their hospital stay that weren’t present when they were admitted. These infections typically develop at least 48 hours after hospitalization and affect about 4% of those hospitalized.
For patients, these preventable infections can lead to extended hospital stays, additional medical treatments, severe complications and even death. When infections result from negligent care or failure to follow proper protocols, they may become the basis for medical malpractice claims as patients seek compensation for the harm they’ve suffered.
Types of infections, complications and causes
Health care facilities harbor numerous pathogens that can spread through direct contact with health care workers, contaminated equipment or the surrounding environment.
Risk factors include weakened immune systems, advanced age, extended hospital stays, invasive procedures and medical devices like catheters or ventilators.
Common hospital-acquired infections include:
- Surgical site infections
- Catheter-associated urinary tract infections
- Ventilator-associated pneumonia
- Hospital-acquired pneumonia
- Central line-associated bloodstream infections
- Clostridium difficile infections
These ailments can lead to serious complications such as sepsis, which is a life-threatening response to infection that can cause organ failure. Other complications include meningitis, endocarditis, osteomyelitis and acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Patients may require additional surgeries, powerful antibiotics with significant side effects or intensive care treatment. Some infections involve antibiotic-resistant bacteria, making them particularly difficult to treat.
Holding health care facilities accountable
If you contracted an infection during a hospital stay due to negligence, you have the right to seek compensation for additional medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering. State law allows patients to file medical malpractice claims when health care providers fail to follow established infection control protocols or provide care that meets accepted standards.
To bring a successful claim, you’ll need to demonstrate that the provider breached their duty of care and that this breach directly caused your infection and resulting damages. Medical malpractice cases involving hospital-acquired infections are complex and require a thorough investigation of medical records, hospital policies and infection control practices.
Working with a skilled medical malpractice attorney who understands both the medical and legal aspects of these cases is essential to pursuing a claim effectively and ensuring you receive fair compensation for the harm you’ve experienced.