Surgery is a daunting process even when there is only a minor risk of complications. One complication that can develop is a post-operative infection. Medical professionals must take proper precautions and appropriate actions to prevent a post-surgical infection. If you or a loved one has suffered harm because a surgical infection developed after a procedure, you may be able to seek compensation. The Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers at Arfaa Law Group can review the facts of your case and explore all of your legal options.
Taking Legal Action for Post-Surgical InfectionsA post-surgery infection, also known as a surgical site infection (SSI), is an infection that occurs after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery took place. Surgical site infections can either be superficial infections involving the skin only or deep infections involving tissues under the skin, organs, or implanted material. Post-surgical infections often result from the failure to monitor a patient after surgery and generally occur within 30 days.
Surgical infection is among the three most common types of infection received from a hospital environment According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hospital-acquired infections affect one in 25 patients, leading to over 75,000 deaths per year. The CDC also reports that SSIs make up 17 percent of all hospital-acquired infections (HAI), making them the second-most common type of HAI after catheter-associated UTIs.
Medical malpractice takes place when a medical professional fails to adhere to the standard of care that another medical professional in the same specialty would have maintained under the same circumstances, and a patient suffers an injury or death as a direct result. Medical malpractice may also occur when a health care provider fails to take action when there was a duty to do so.
Depending upon the infected area, surgical infections can result in amputation, scarring, fever, disfigurement, pain, paralysis and even death. In addition to emotional and physical consequences, patients suffering from a surgical infection often endure financial hardship. If the elements of a medical malpractice case can be established, a plaintiff may be able to recover compensation, such as:
At Arfaa Law Group, our surgical error attorneys provide compassionate and aggressive representation to the most seriously injured. If you are suffering from surgical infection, you should not hesitate to speak with a skilled Baltimore medical malpractice attorney. Our injury attorneys represent victims of medical malpractice throughout the state of Maryland. To learn more about your legal rights and options, call 410-889-1850 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.