Hospital-Acquired Infections and Hospital Negligence

Hospitals are meant to be a place of healing, but when safety protocols and procedures break down, patients can leave sicker than when they arrived. Hospital-acquired infections and systemic hospital negligence can lead to serious injury, prolonged illness, and even death. If you or a loved one has suffered harm due to an infection or unsafe condition in a hospital, you may have grounds for a medical malpractice or hospital negligence claim. The experienced attorneys at Siri & Glimstad are here to help you understand your rights and seek the compensation you deserve.

A hospital-acquired infection (“healthcare-associated infection”) is an infection that develops during the hospital stay and is not present or incubating at the time of admission. While not every infection is the result of negligence, many occur because basic safety and infection-control measures were not followed.

Hospital negligence can also include broader systemic failures, such as unsafe staffing levels, poor supervision, inadequate training, or failures in communication and policies that put patients at risk.

Some hospital-acquired infections commonly linked to negligence include:

• Surigcal site infections
• Bloodstream infections (including those related to central lines)
• Catheter-associated urinary tract infections
• Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other multidrug-resistant infections

These infections can be life-threatening, especially for vulnerable patients.

Hospital-acquired infections and systemic negligence often arise from preventable lapses, such as:

• Failure to follow proper hand hygiene and sterile techniques
• Inadequate cleaning and disinfection of equipment and patient rooms
• Failure to follow protocols for central lines, catheters, and ventilators
• Poor staffing levels
• Inadequate training on infection-control policies
• Failure to isolate contagious patients when appropriate
• Communication breakdowns among members of the healthcare team

Hospital-acquired infections and hospital negligence can have serious, long-term consequences:

• Prolonged hospital stays and additional procedures
• Need for intensive antibiotic therapy or surgery
• Permanent organ damage or disability
• Increased medical expenses and long-term care needs
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
• Emotional distress, anxiety, and loss of trust in healthcare providers

In the most serious cases, these failures can result in wrongful death.

To pursue a claim, you generally must show that:

• The hospital or its staff failed to meet the applicable standard of care
• This failure contributed to or caused the infection or injury
• You suffered damages as a result

Our legal team works with medical and infectious disease experts to determine whether infection-control standards were violated and how those violations led to your injuries.

Depending on your circumstances, potentially liable parties may include:

• Hospitals and health systems
• Physicians and surgeons
• Nurses and other clinical staff
• Infection-control departments and administrators

Siri & Glimstad’s attorneys will thoroughly investigate your case to identify all responsible parties and seek compensation from every liable entity.

Hospital-acquired infections and hospital negligence can transform a routine hospital stay into a life-threatening ordeal. If you or a loved one has suffered harm due to unsafe hospital conditions or preventable infections, it is important to seek experienced legal help. The team at Siri & Glimstad has the knowledge, experience, and resources to handle even the most complex hospital negligence and infection cases. Contact us today for a confidential consultation to discuss your case and learn about your options.