All last week, our blog discussed just how commonplace sepsis has become here in the U.S., and just how deadly the condition can be if the proper diagnoses aren’t made or the proper treatment protocol followed.

It’s important to understand from a strictly legal perspective, however, that the onset of an infection and even the subsequent development of sepsis — whether from the flu to a cut on the finger — doesn’t necessarily mean that legal action can and should be taken.

Indeed, legal action can and should only be taken in those situations where the treating medical professionals discounted outwardly obvious signs of an underlying infection and did not take the necessary actions until it had worsened, or simply failed to recognize the onset or progression of sepsis.

That’s because timing is everything when it comes to both infections and sepsis, as an aggressive regimen of antibiotics and IV therapy administered early enough can save lives. In fact, statistics show that when sepsis is diagnosed and treated early, the survival rate is well over 90 percent.

What all of this serves to underscore is that when physicians simply do what they are trained to do — identify sickness and administer the proper treatment — patients will likely be able to recover from sepsis. It’s only when they deviate from their training or simply act in a negligent manner that sepsis becomes tantamount to a death sentence.

If you suspect that the loss of a loved one from sepsis can be attributed to either a delay in diagnosis or a failure to diagnose an underlying infection, please visit our website to learn more about how we can help you.