Sepsis negligence claims

Sepsis is the world’s leading cause of death from infection and yet it is all too frequently misdiagnosed or not adequately treated. Contact one of our specialist lawyers for a free initial consultation to find out if we can investigate your case with the financial security of a ‘no win no fee’ agreement.

When can you make a compensation claim for sepsis?

Sepsis is a condition that can occur when the body responds to an infection. Fighting the infection can cause the immune system to go into overdrive, resulting in inflammation throughout the body, shock, multiple organ failure and potentially death, if it is not recognised early and treated promptly.

The condition remains the primary cause of death from infection and leads to more fatalities than prostate cancer, breast cancer and HIV/AIDS combined.

Sepsis is often diagnosed and treated too late. This is because the clinical symptoms and laboratory signs that are currently used for diagnosis are unspecific.

There are many circumstances where a compensation claim can be brought, including:

• Delayed diagnosis of sepsis
• Failure to investigate sepsis symptoms adequately
• Failure to treat sepsis adequately or quickly enough
• You can also bring a sepsis claim on behalf of a child.

What is involved in proving medical negligence in sepsis cases?

Proving that an earlier diagnosis would have made a difference is complicated and it is vital that the exact stage at which the error was made, is established.

What will happen when I make sepsis negligence claim?

After contacting Thomson Snell & Passmore we will arrange a free initial consultation to discuss whether there is a legal claim and what funding options are available. We usually act on a ‘no win no fee’ agreement.

We will undertake a forensic investigation into the management or treatment you received in hospital or at your GP surgery, using your account of what happened, and your medical records and radiological imaging. Medical experts (often Microbiologists, and ICU consultants) may be involved at an early stage to consider the treatment and management you received, and to advise us on the standards of care that should have been provided, and the outcome that would have been achieved with appropriate treatment. Following this initial investigation we can then advise you on the strength of your case, and give detailed advice on the next steps, which usually starts with preparing a formal letter of allegations to the relevant defendant.

Can I make a sepsis claim on behalf of a loved one, or a loved one who has died?

Our lawyers can assist you if a loved one has died due to a delayed sepsis diagnosis. We can help you recover compensation for pain, suffering, financial losses, and funeral expenses. We can represent you at inquests and seek an apology from those responsible. If you’re the spouse, child, parent of a child under 18, or financially dependent on the deceased, you may be eligible to claim.

It is possible to make a claim even if the affected person has died. The spouse, partner, dependents, or family members can, in certain prescribed situations, bring a claim seeking compensation for specific losses, such as financial losses for income or benefits that you no-longer receive, or for care and support around the home that you used to rely upon, provided by the deceased. Certain family members are also able to claim what is called a ‘bereavement award’.

It is also possible for the executors or administrators of the deceased person’s estate to bring a claim on behalf of the deceased’s estate, for an award of damages which would usually include compensation for the pain and suffering the deceased endured as a result of any negligence. Our team of medical negligence lawyers can guide you through this process.

How our clinical negligence solicitors can help with a sepsis compensation claim

We have one of the longest established and experienced clinical negligence teams in the country. Our medical negligence lawyers have a reputation for winning complex medical negligence cases and we have helped thousands of people claim compensation.

The size of our clinical negligence team, and our breadth of our knowledge, means we are likely to have already succeeded in recovering compensation for a sepsis clinical negligence claim that is similar in nature to yours across the full range of injury severity, from client’s who recover well and return to their normal life after a few months, through to clients who are left with profound and life changing injuries (often brain injuries or amputations), or death.

• Our overriding aim is to protect your interests and achieve the most advantageous outcome for the long term
• We will make sure your case is fully investigated
• We will focus on your individual requirements. Giving a personal service and acting with sensitivity are important to us
• We will create a team of specialist independent medical experts and a barrister with expertise in dealing with cases similar to your case
• We will make things as easy as possible and guide you through each stage of the process
• We can help you find out why the hospital or GP surgery failed you and ensure that the same thing does not happen to somebody else.

Our accreditations

Our team has long been recognised and highly ranked by two of the most prestigious, independent guides to the legal profession ‘Chambers UK’ and ‘The Legal 500’.

We are also members of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and affiliated to Action against Medical Accidents.

A number of your team members have individual accreditations and recognition in the legal directories which you can view on their profiles.

Free initial consultation

Contact one of our team of specialist clinical negligence lawyers for a free, no obligation consultation. We will listen to the circumstances of your medical treatment and give you clear advice on the chances of your receiving compensation in a clinical negligence claim. If we think you have a claim, we can investigate your case using the financial security of a ‘no win no fee’ agreement.

Call us or fill in our short enquiry form and we will assess your potential claim.

We are highly ranked by two of the most prestigious, independent guides to the legal profession ‘Chambers UK’ and ‘The Legal 500’.