Necrotizing Faciitis & Medical Malpractice

17 Feb Necrotizing Faciitis & Medical Malpractice

When most of us go to the hospital for an injury or illness, we expect to be treated in a timely manner and discharged as soon as the doctor says we’re clear to go back to our daily lives. Recently, there have been reports of a flesh-eating bacteria affecting numerous hospitals and their patients around the country. This disease, also known as necrotizing fasciitis, is due to certain types of anaerobic bacteria gaining entry into the body via the skin and fatty tissue and killing off flesh and organs by spreading toxins across the body. If left untreated, this condition may lead to sepsis, shock and even death.

Necrotizing fasciitis has a mortality rate of up to thirty percent in some cases, making it a lethal condition. At the same time, the disease may necessitate amputation and the removal of body organs which are rendered useless due to tissue death. Additionally, most hospitals usually do not respond in a timely manner when treating patients with necrotizing fasciitis, making them culpable due to negligence.

Here are a few facts about this flesh-eating disease:

• Bacteria may gain entry into the body via a cut in the body during a surgical procedure.
• The most common type of bacteria involved in most cases of the disease are from the group A Streptococcus bacteria.
• People contract the bacteria from another person who may not even be aware that they’re carrying it in the first place.
• The bacteria is spread in the air and via contact through droplets and other body fluids.
• Individuals with necrotizing fasciitis are not likely to be infectious.

Because some of the symptoms of the condition mimic other diseases such as the flu or general inflammation, many cases are misdiagnosed due to physician inexperience, leading to serious consequences in just a few days.

If you’ve been a victim of necrotizing fasciitis, you might be eligible for compensation as long as there’s proof of medical negligence in terms of treatment of the condition. Some of the instances where medical malpractice or negligence occurs in relation to necrotizing fasciitis include:

• Failure to dress wounds properly, leaving them open to bacterial infection.
• Failure to treat NF symptoms in a timely manner leading to disease progression.
• Failure by the physician to accurately diagnose the condition, leading to tissue damage and death.

Rasansky Law Firm has tried numerous medical malpractice cases and would be happy to help you get compensation for injuries sustained as well as non-economic and punitive damages. Please call us today at 1-877-659-1620 and we’ll get you started on your case as soon as possible. Thanks for choosing us, and we look forward to speaking with you.

By Jeff Rasansky