When a susceptible resident forms an avoidable infection while staying in a nursing home or long-term care center, the effects on their health can be horrendous. We understand that such complex cases can have you wondering what the compensation is for getting an infection in a nursing home. Understanding this question is crucial when progressing toward protecting your family’s rights. Hunter Law, PC can help with that.
Common Infections Affecting Nursing Homes
Individuals can experience numerous medical conditions when facilities are unable to provide safe, clean environments. Common avoidable infections can include:
- Urinary tract infections
- Sepsis
- COVID-19
- MRSA
- Pneumonia
- Infected bed sores
- Staph infections
- Infections of a gastrointestinal nature
- Infected respiratory systems
In 2024, more than 300,000 patients with severe sepsis were treated in California. Over 40,000 of said patients, around 13%, ended up passing away in the hospital. Regardless of the case, the average length of hospital stay was just over nine days. During that same year, the CDC reported that over 24% of elderly people in the United States were in poor health.
While, of course, not every infection is caused by negligence, many of them are. Such situations call for a deeper, more thorough investigation.
Impacts on Compensation in Nursing Home Infections
While every nursing home infection case is unique, comprehension usually depends on the following:
- Seriousness of the infection. Certain infections can be life-threatening and demand extensive and expensive stays in the hospital, while sometimes requiring long-term medical care.
- Obvious negligence. This includes failure to follow infection-control procedures, disregarding initial warning signs, insufficient staffing, defective equipment or wound care, and much more.
- Medical expenses. Includes hospitalization, being treated in the emergency room, all forms of testing, and long-term therapy and rehabilitation.
- Diminished quality of life. When infections cause reduced mobility, lasting disability, or cognitive defects, compensation can increase exponentially.
- Damages for wrongful death. If an avoidable infection grows so severe that it leads to the death of a resident, families can seek further compensation to cover end-of-life medical expenses and other related costs.
- Overall pain and suffering. Usually, infections cause extreme pain, emotional turmoil, and lifelong health effects.
According to a 2024 report, California averaged 16 deficiencies per nursing home, which is almost double the average across the United States. A quarter of nursing homes, both in California and across the nation, had a deficiency for tangible harm or danger to residents.
Compensation for Nursing Home Infection Cases
Compensation varies depending on the seriousness of the infection, the degree of negligence displayed by the facility, and whether the resident suffered lasting damage or not. In nursing homes, infections can be severely dangerous for senior citizens who have weak or compromised immune systems. Many such infections come to be due to improper supervision, subpar standards for hygiene, medication mistakes, and insufficiently staffed shifts.
Depending on your case’s specific circumstances, compensation can include:
- Medical expenses
- Emergency and hospital care
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Long-term care needs and mobility assistance
- Diminished quality of life
- Emotional turmoil
- Wrongful death damages when necessary
- Overall pain and suffering
The amount of each case varies greatly, especially in situations of extreme infections like pressure sore infections or septic shock. If necessary, cases are heard at the Central Justice Center, located at 700 Civic Center Dr W, Santa Ana, CA, 92701.
Hire a Nursing Home Infections Lawyer
If someone you love has developed a severe infection and you feel that neglect acted as a causal factor, it would be smart to hire a nursing home infections lawyer. Cases such as these involve medical professionals, inspections of facilities, review of policies, and meticulous examination of records of staffing protocols. A hospital abuse lawyer in Anaheim can see that evidence is maintained and help you seek the most desirable outcome possible.
An experienced nursing home infections lawyer typically can:
- Look over medical records
- Analyze treatment and medication charts
- Study the facility’s sanitation procedures
- Examine the level of staffing and overall training
- Speak with staff and other witnesses
- Establish whether the facility abided by state and federal regulations
- Collaborate with medical and infection-control professionals
Such an investigation can help determine just how preventable the infection was and what compensation would be the most appropriate for it.
FAQs About Compensation for Getting an Infection in a Nursing Home in California
How Much Can You Pursue in a Negligence-Related Nursing Home Infection Case?
Compensation varies greatly depending on the seriousness of the infection, medical expenses, level of negligence from the facility, and lasting impact on the victim. Especially severe infections, such as those that require hospitalization, often result in much higher compensation because of the broad care and recovery needed. Our attorneys can help clarify your options.
What Is the Average Sepsis Settlement?
There is no universally agreed-upon average for sepsis settlements, as such cases mostly depend on seriousness, detrimental effects, and the facility’s behavior. Causes that involve damaged organs, emergency surgery, or lifelong disability typically carry exponentially higher compensation than less serious infections. Meeting with our team can help you understand your available avenues.
What Evidence Helps Support a Nursing Home Infection Claim?
To support a nursing home infection claim, solid evidence can include medical documentation, photographs of the injuries and wounds, statements from witnesses, reports from facility inspections, and paperwork regarding inadequate sanitation or untimely treatment. Such information can help demonstrate whether the infection was caused by negligence or not.
What are the Odds of Succeeding in a Nursing Home Infection Case?
Success depends greatly on the relevance of the evidence. Cases with proven neglect, inaccurate records, issues with staffing, or blatant violations of care regulations tend to have more effective outcomes. An experienced lawyer can help establish how the facts and circumstances of your case can support your claim. Our attorneys are adept at analyzing such information for these kinds of cases.
California Nursing Home Infections Attorney: Hunter Law, PC
If someone you love has suffered from an infection inside a nursing home that was preventable, you do not have to deal with the situation by yourself. A knowledgeable attorney can help analyze the facts, collect important evidence, and help clarify the potentially available compensation. Contact Hunter Law, PC today to get your case seen and your loved one on the road to recovery.
