When an infection goes undiagnosed or untreated in healthcare settings, it can spiral into something more dangerous: sepsis. In Florida, we have seen delayed or missed diagnoses that turned treatable infections into life-threatening emergencies. If you or someone you love has been affected by sepsis, due to medical negligence, contact medical malpractice attorneys immediately.
What is Sepsis?
Sepsis is a body’s panic response to an infection. Instead of fighting the infection in a controlled way, your immune system goes into overdrive, triggering widespread inflammation that can damage your tissues and organs. Without quick treatment, sepsis can progress to septic shock, where organs begin to fail and survival becomes a race against time.
Most cases of sepsis start with common infections we’re all familiar with – lung infections, urinary tract infections, stomach infections, or infected cuts and wounds. The key difference between a manageable infection and a life-threatening case of sepsis often comes down to one factor: timing.
How Misdiagnosis Leads to Sepsis
Healthcare providers have one primary job when you walk through their doors: figure out what’s wrong and treat it appropriately. Unfortunately, we’ve seen cases where infections get missed or dismissed, putting patients at serious risk. Here’s what typically goes wrong:
- Symptoms dismissed as minor illnesses: Healthcare providers sometimes attribute symptoms to conditions like colds, flu, or minor aches without performing further tests.
- Incomplete or inaccurate testing: Misinterpreted lab results or a failure to conduct thorough tests lead to untreated infections.
- Failure to follow up: When symptoms persist, healthcare providers must reassess the initial diagnosis. Delayed follow-up care increases the chance of infections progressing.
Misdiagnoses often result from errors in judgment, failure to recognize symptoms, or communication gaps. These failures are forms of medical negligence and place patients at risk of sepsis.
The Consequences of Sepsis
Sepsis isn’t like a typical illness where you get sick and then bounce back to normal. Its effects can last a lifetime. Survivors often face devastating organ damage – their hearts, lungs, kidneys, and livers may never work quite the same again. In severe cases, doctors may need to amputate limbs to save a patient’s life because sepsis has cut off blood flow to extremities.
Even after leaving the hospital, many survivors struggle with chronic pain, overwhelming fatigue, and memory problems that make it hard to return to their normal lives. The financial impact is equally severe – between lengthy hospital stays, rehabilitation costs, and lost income, families often find themselves drowning in medical bills.
The most frustrating part is that much of this suffering could be prevented with proper medical care. When infections are caught and treated early, patients rarely develop sepsis at all.
Medical Malpractice and Sepsis in Florida
In Miami and throughout Florida, medical malpractice occurs when healthcare providers fail to meet the standard of care, resulting in harm to patients. For sepsis, malpractice cases often involve:
- Failure to diagnose infections in a timely manner
- Delayed treatment with antibiotics or other therapies
- Mismanagement of post-surgical infections
- Inadequate monitoring of high-risk patients
Florida law holds healthcare providers accountable for negligence. Victims of sepsis caused by medical errors have the right to seek compensation for their injuries with the help of an experienced personal injury lawyer.
Legal Options for Sepsis Victims
Victims of misdiagnosed infections leading to sepsis have the right to pursue a medical malpractice claim. This process involves proving that a healthcare provider failed to provide proper care, leading to harm. Steps to take include:
- Documenting symptoms and treatment history: Patients should keep detailed records of symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments received.
- Obtaining medical records: Medical records are critical for determining whether negligence occurred. Patients should request all records from healthcare providers.
- Seeking legal representation: Malpractice cases are complex and require legal expertise. Medical malpractice lawyers help victims gather evidence, consult experts, and build a strong case.
- Filing within the statute of limitations: In Florida, victims must file malpractice claims within two years of discovering the injury. Filing promptly ensures the case is not dismissed due to timing.
Compensation in medical malpractice cases covers medical expenses, lost income, rehabilitation costs, and non-economic damages like pain and suffering.
The Role of Medical Malpractice Lawyers
Fighting a medical malpractice case isn’t something you should tackle alone. A medical malpractice lawyer who specializes in these cases knows how to investigate what went wrong, work with medical experts to prove negligence, and stand up to insurance companies that try to minimize your suffering.
For victims of sepsis, hiring a medical malpractice attorney ensures that healthcare providers are held accountable. This process helps families recover financially and sends a message that negligent care will not be tolerated.
Preventing Sepsis: Patient Advocacy Tips
While medical providers are responsible for delivering quality care, patients and families can take steps to reduce the risk of misdiagnoses. Actions include:
- Asking detailed questions: Patients should ask about potential causes of symptoms and ensure tests are ordered if necessary.
- Seeking second opinions: If a diagnosis is unclear or symptoms persist, consulting another healthcare provider improves the chances of accurate treatment.
- Understanding symptoms of sepsis: Early symptoms include fever, rapid heart rate, confusion, and extreme discomfort. Recognizing these signs helps patients seek immediate care.
Awareness and proactive communication with healthcare providers help reduce the risk of untreated infections progressing to sepsis.
Take Legal Action Now
Medical errors that result in sepsis are preventable. Holding healthcare providers accountable improves the quality of care and helps prevent similar incidents. Legal action also provides victims and families with financial relief to manage the long-term effects of sepsis.
If you or a loved one has suffered due to a misdiagnosed infection leading to sepsis, experienced personal injury attorneys at Dolan Dobrinsky Rosenblum Bluestein, LLP are here to help. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your case. Our firm operates on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we secure compensation for you.
Call our Miami medical malpractice attorneys today at 305-371-2692 to understand your legal options and take the first step toward justice.