What is Sepsis and What Does it Mean to Be Septic?

Sepsis is a life-threatening illness caused by your body’s extreme response to an infection. So what is ‘septic,’ then? “Septic” simply means that you are experiencing sepsis. Your infection doesn’t have to be severe to trigger sepsis. Sepsis often triggers widespread inflammation and, in some cases, organ failure. If you develop sepsis, it is imperative that you seek medical treatment right away, because it is a medical emergency.

Sepsis is sometimes a consequence of medical malpractice. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately one in three people who die in the hospital succumb to sepsis.

Symptoms of sepsis

The symptoms of sepsis can include:

• Clammy or sweaty skin
• Confusion or disorientation
• Difficulty staying awake
• Fever or chills
• Shortness of breath
• Elevated heartbeat
• Extreme weakness or fatigue

Do not ignore these symptoms, because sepsis can quickly develop into a life-threatening condition. Even if you don’t die from sepsis, you can experience organ failure that leads to permanent disability.

Early treatment is critical—the longer you wait, the lower your odds of survival. Knowing the symptoms of sepsis can alert you to the danger before it’s too late.

What causes sepsis?

Sepsis begins with an infection. Common sources of infection include pneumonia, urinary tract infections, appendicitis, bowel perforations, and skin infections. Of course, not all infections will place you at risk for sepsis. The infection need not be severe to lead to sepsis.

 

Many cases of sepsis originate in hospitals. In other words, in many cases a patient develops sepsis only after admission to the hospital for some other reason. Sepsis might arise from a wound or a cut, a post-surgical infection, or an infection caused by a catheter or IV.

Who is most at risk for sepsis?

Some people are more vulnerable to sepsis than others. High-risk groups include:

• The young and the old—infants and the elderly, for example.
• Patients with chronic illnesses such as diabetes.
• Patients with weak immune systems.
• Patients who have recently undergone surgery.

This is not a complete list.

Environmental factors that encourage the development and progression of sepsis

Common environmental factors that can trigger the development of sepsis and accelerate its progression include:

• Lack of access to prompt medical care. This might happen if you live in a remote rural area, for example. Lack of access to medical care can allow infections and sepsis itself to rapidly worsen.
• Overuse of antibiotics, encouraging the development of antibiotic-resistant infections. The more severe the infection, the greater the likelihood of sepsis.
• Misdiagnosis or delayed response, as in the example above.

How sepsis progresses

There are three commonly identified stages of sepsis, each one more serious than the last. Not all sepsis patients experience all three.

The stages of sepsis

• Initial symptoms: The initial symptoms listed above—clammy skin, disorientation, shortness of breath, etc. There might be some organ inflammation.
• Severe sepsis: Organ dysfunction begins—liver dysfunction and cardiovascular problems, for example.
• Septic shock: Dangerously low blood pressure and a high likelihood of death. Many survivors of septic shock must deal with permanent damage to organs such as the kidney or the heart.

Long-term consequences of sepsis

The long-term consequences of severe sepsis and septic shock can be life-altering. They may include permanent organ damage, limb amputations caused by gangrene, and chronic fatigue, memory loss, or depression. You might need long-term medical treatment, and it is possible that you might never be able to work again. The medical and financial burdens can be immense.

How medical malpractice contributes to sepsis

It is important to realize that not all sepsis is caused by medical malpractice. Many cases, however, can be traced directly to malpractice. Below are some examples of medical failures that can lead to the development or worsening of sepsis:

• Failure to recognize septic symptoms, leading to delayed diagnosis
• Delayed antibiotic treatment
• Incompetent post-surgical infection control
• Inadequate patient monitoring, especially in emergency rooms or intensive care units

Proving medical malpractice liability

To win a medical malpractice claim, you must establish:

• You and the defendant were in a doctor-patient relationship. If you were a hospital patient at the time you developed sepsis, you have met this qualification.
• Your healthcare provider significantly deviated from the medically recognized standard of care. This deviation constitutes medical negligence.
• Your healthcare provider’s negligence worsened the outcome for you. It either caused the development of sepsis, or it worsened a pre-existing case.

Compensation

If you win a medical malpractice claim or lawsuit, your compensation could include medical bills and future care costs, lost wages and diminished future earning capacity, and pain and suffering. If you are the estate executor of someone who died from medical malpractice, you can seek wrongful death damages for surviving family members.

The importance of legal representation

If you are considering legal action based on medical malpractice, it is absolutely critical that you hire a competent Ohio or Kentucky medical malpractice lawyer as soon as you possibly can. A seasoned medical malpractice lawyer can:

• Locate, collect and interpret complex medical records.
• Find an expert who can testify on your behalf.
• Help you calculate the costs of lifetime medical care and diminished earning capacity.
• Negotiate your claim for you, perhaps all the way to an out-of-court settlement.
• Help you file a lawsuit.
• Represent you at trial if necessary (most medical malpractice claims settle before trial).

A medical malpractice lawyer can help you in many other ways as well.

Your legal rights deserve protection

Crandall & Pera Law, LLC is a personal injury law firm that can help you with your medical malpractice claim. Contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation. And remember—if we don’t win your case, you don’t pay attorney’s fees.