Infection After Surgery Medical Negligence Solicitors
Our friendly team of specialist lawyers at Medical Solicitors have the expertise to help you succeed in a medical negligence claim for compensation if you have suffered from infection after surgery
Compensation can be claimed where there has been inappropriate advice given concerning treatment options and the risks and benefits of the various options, where there have been excessive delays in providing you with treatment, or where there has been substandard care that amounts to actual Medical Negligence.
How is infection after surgery picked up?
Most patients are warned of the risk of infection after surgery. It can just be a case of bad luck. Patients can carry common, infective organisms around on their own skin.
However, infection can be picked up sometimes in the operating theatre. A lot of theatres now are “clean air” theatres. There are other precautions that should be taken surgically, such as leaving a high risk and “dirty” procedures until the end of the operating day.
Infection can also be picked up in the post-operative period either whilst still in hospital or after being discharged once a patient gets back into their home and the community. Some infections are unavoidable, but others are avoidable and if you have questions about why you picked up an infection then it is very important to get specialist legal advice.
Infections can have devastating consequences.
Examples of successful compensation claims for infection after surgery cases
£100,000 to a man who suffered from a deep bone infection after his second hip replacement. The infection took hold after part of a drain broke off and was retained deep in his hip when a nurse tried to remove the whole drain. The drain tube simply snapped. The hospital failed to recognise that the retained part of drain needed to be removed and treated the patient with various antibiotic regimes over a 2 year period eventually resorting to 4 months use of a Trial drug Linezolid before admitting defeat. The trial drug caused permanent neurological damage resultinig in lack of sensation to the feet and limited mobility. The patient had to undergo a 2 stage hip revision meaning he had 3 months where he had no hip at all. The claim was brought out of time in relation to the issue of the drain although the Claimant was within the usual 3 year time limit for harm caused by the use of the Trial drug.