Chicago-area nursing home sepsis cases can be complicated if you go it alone or choose the wrong legal representative. The Rooth Law Firm’s Chicago nursing home sepsis lawyer provides the representation our clients deserve from start to finish.
Our legal team has been helping clients earn fair compensation for over 40 years by closely collaborating with each of them to create a personalized strategy that fits their needs and goals. Call to get a free consultation today and learn more about how our Chicago nursing home abuse lawyer can help you.
ILLINOIS NURSING HOME ABUSE & PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER
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How to Get Compensation After a Sepsis Diagnosis
It is important to recognize that sepsis is often treatable and even preventable. If your loved one developed sepsis, there is a good chance that:
- The nursing home was not properly treating or monitoring your loved one
- Your loved one’s condition and all of the suffering it caused could have been prevented
- The nursing home could owe you and your family financial compensation
At The Rooth Law Firm, we understand that you have just been through the worst day of your life. When you contact us, we can take immediate action by investigating your case and determining whether or not it meets the criteria listed in the bullet points above. If it does, we can continue to fight for your family’s rights for as long as it takes to secure appropriate damages.
Here are steps we frequently take for our clients:
- Handling all communication with the nursing home and their insurance company
- Filing and receiving all necessary paperwork associated with the case
- Working with the nursing home’s representatives until we reach a settlement agreement that meets your family’s needs
Along the way, you can depend on us to be proactive about staying in touch. Our small but aggressive firm dedicates plenty of attention to each client, answering their questions and providing clear, actionable legal advice at every stage.
What Sepsis Is and Why It Could Entitle Your Family to Compensation
According to the Mayo Clinic, sepsis is a potentially fatal condition that may arise when someone develops an infection. From respiratory illnesses to open wounds, virtually any kind of infection anywhere in the body could potentially lead to sepsis.
Early symptoms of sepsis may include:
- Breathing problems
- Feeling lightheaded
- Shaking or sweating
At this point, there is typically still time to treat the sepsis with antibiotics or through other means. If sepsis is not treated promptly, however, it may progress to a more serious condition called septic shock. Symptoms of septic shock include:
- Low blood pressure
- Inability to urinate
- Heart palpitations
Symptoms may overlap or worsen as the disease progresses. Septic shock may ultimately lead to organ failure or damage and death.
Sepsis Causes Significant Pain and Suffering
Your family has suffered in countless ways because of the nursing home’s failure to diagnose and treat sepsis. You should not be left to handle the financial and emotional burden without help.
By taking legal action on your behalf, we could recover a wide range of damages that support you and your loved ones both now and in the future. Common types of damages include:
- Medical expenses, for the cost of treating the sepsis/septic shock and providing any necessary long-term care
- Other expenses, such as if you decide to move your loved one to a new nursing home or hire a home nurse so your loved one can live with you
- Physical pain and suffering, for the distressing and discomfiting symptoms your loved one experienced
- Reduced enjoyment of life, if your loved one suffered a temporary or permanent loss of independence or quality of life
- Permanent disability, if the sepsis caused a permanent injury or condition from which your loved one will never fully recover
To get legal assistance, call The Rooth Law Firm at any time. We are available 24/7 to evaluate your case and guide you towards the appropriate next steps.
ILLINOIS NURSING HOME ABUSE & PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER
Preventing Sepsis in Nursing Home Residents
Because sepsis is a complication stemming from infections, there are two main ways that nursing home staff can prevent it:
- Prevent infections. Staff can provide regular check-ups, examine the residents for bedsores or other injuries, and quickly treat any injury or illness that could increase the risk of infection.
- Monitor infections carefully. If a resident does develop an infection, staff should keep a very close eye on them and act swiftly if they notice signs of possible complications, including sepsis.
Unfortunately, nursing home staff is not always equipped to perform these very basic tasks. Some staff members are overworked, underpaid, or undertrained, so they simply do not have the capacity to care for the residents as much as they should. Even when an individual does care and want to do what is best, they are not always given the time and support to do so.
Staffing issues can lead to:
- The development of bedsores/pressure ulcers or other wounds
- Medical conditions going undiagnosed or untreated for longer than they should
- Residents not being assessed for their risk of developing infections or sepsis
Assessing a Resident’s Risk for Sepsis
Risk assessments are a critical part of every resident’s care plan. They should be conducted when the resident first enters the home and at regular intervals thereafter.
During a risk assessment, the nursing home staff should take into account the resident’s:
- Age. People over age 65 may be at increased risk of developing sepsis.
- Overall health. Certain conditions, like kidney disease or diabetes, could increase your likelihood of developing sepsis.
- Past conditions. If you have had sepsis in the past, you may be at greater risk of developing infections in the future.
- Medications. Drugs that weaken your body’s immune system could leave you vulnerable to sepsis.
Once the home knows this information, they can, in theory, take appropriate precautions so that the resident does not develop an infection and/or sepsis. As previously mentioned, however, inadequate staffing often means that preventative measures are not taken or are taken too late.
You trusted this nursing home with your loved one’s health and safety. Finding out that the facility broke that trust is infuriating and heartbreaking. With The Rooth Law Firm by your side, you can confront the negligent nursing home and fight for the legal outcome you deserve.
Call Our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer for Advice Today
If you or someone you care about was injured by another person or entity, it is important to take action immediately. The Rooth Law Firm has ample experience successfully protecting the rights of nursing home abuse and neglect victims. Call now and pay nothing until you win: our Chicago nursing home sepsis lawyer charges no upfront attorneys’ fees.
ILLINOIS NURSING HOME ABUSE & PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Do I Have to Sue a Nursing Home for Sepsis?
In most cases, you have two years from either the day of the injury or the day you discovered the injury. The nursing home might try to dispute this deadline or claim you did not meet it, which would bar you from recovering compensation. The sooner you reach out, the sooner our team can file your case within the applicable timeframe.
Do All Nursing Home Abuse Cases Go to Court?
No. In fact, many cases are resolved out of court with a settlement agreement. Nursing home abuse cases rarely go to court because it is generally faster and easier for all of the involved parties to complete the case without a trial.
That said, Robert J. Rooth trained with one of the best trial lawyers in the country and has years of courtroom experience. If we do have to go to court, you can rest assured that your case is in knowledgeable hands.
How Much Is My Nursing Home Negligence Case Worth?
We determine how much each case is worth by looking at documentary evidence, such as bills and receipts, and by speaking with your loved one (if possible) and anyone who has personal knowledge of how the nursing home abuse has affected your lives. This allows us to assess the full extent of your financial, physical, and mental losses.
What Happens if My Loved One Passed Away From Sepsis?
If your loved one passed away from septic shock, please accept our deepest condolences and know that you still have the right to sue the nursing home. You could hold them accountable for your loved one’s wrongful death by seeking reimbursement for funeral costs or loss of companionship.
It goes without saying that this money will not make up for what the nursing home has taken from you. But it can provide your family with peace of mind, closure, financial stability, and the knowledge that justice has been done.
Call An Illinois Nursing Home Abuse & Personal Injury Lawyer Today
We have been advocating for the injured since 1984. Let us fight to hold wrongdoers accountable and recover the financial damages your family needs.
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