According to the Cleveland Clinic, sepsis occurs when your body overreacts to an infection. When you develop sepsis, your immune system begins to damage healthy tissues, causing inflammation and a systemic reaction. This can result in serious damage, including organ failure and death.
Sepsis can be treated, but it needs to be treated quickly. Unfortunately, sometimes medical care providers fail to recognize the signs of this life-threatening condition. If that occurs, and you or someone you love suffers serious harm or loses their life because of the failure, it’s important to understand your rights.
Gill Ports Hoste LLC can provide invaluable help in these difficult situations. Our Chicago, Illinois, sepsis attorneys have been working for more than 90 years collectively to fight for the rights of those harmed by medical negligence. We can put our experience to work on your claim to fight for you, and we don’t charge legal fees unless we win.
To find out more about the legal advocacy we can offer, give us a call to schedule your free consultation today.
Common sepsis symptoms
Some of the most common symptoms of sepsis include:
- Using the bathroom less often or having strong urges to use the bathroom
- Reduced energy
- An accelerated heart rate
- Low blood pressure
- A fever or a very low body temperature
- Chills
- Shaking
- Breathing difficulties
- Extreme pain or discomfort
Some of these symptoms can be confused with other medical conditions. However, trained medical professionals should understand the type of questions to ask in a medical history as well as the signs to be on the alert for, so they can identify and treat sepsis before substantial long-term damage to your health occurs.
What are your rights if your doctor misdiagnoses sepsis?
If your doctor misdiagnoses sepsis, you may be able to pursue a claim for compensation. Under vicarious liability rules, it’s possible that both your doctor and their employer (like a hospital or clinic) could be required to compensate you.
However, it will be up to you to prove your claim and show that you are entitled to damages. You’ll need to demonstrate:
- Your doctor had an obligation to you
- Your doctor failed in their obligation. You’ll show this failure by demonstrating that any reasonably competent doctor with a similar background would have identified and treated your sepsis, while your provider failed to do so
- You suffered harm as a direct result of the doctor’s failure, and you can be compensated for the harm.
Gill Ports Hoste LLC can help you to gather the necessary evidence to prove your claim, including finding expert witnesses who can explain why your doctor’s care fell below what their professional obligation requires.
We can also help you to show the extent of your losses caused by the failure, and we will negotiate with medical malpractice insurers or represent you in court to present the strongest case possible, given the facts of your claim.
Getting help from a Chicago Sepsis attorney
Attorneys at Gill Ports Hoste LLC have recovered millions for malpractice victims. We are committed to helping you put the justice system to work to get the compensation you need for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other damages you endured.
To find out more about how our Chicago sepsis attorneys can advocate for you, give us a call or contact us online today. We don’t charge legal fees unless we win, and your consultation is always free.