Sepsis Claims

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Making a sepsis claim

One of the potential symptoms of any infection, including Strep A and Strep B, is sepsis. Sepsis is a highly dangerous, life-threatening condition which arises as the body responds to infection. What happens is this: the immune system identifies an invading bacteria or virus and mounts an inflammatory immune response which inadvertently causes damage to the body’s own organs and tissues. Symptoms of sepsis can include a high fever, increased breathing and heart rate and confusion. Sepsis can reduce blood flow to organs, causing tissue damage.

The risk of death from sepsis depends on the severity and if it responds to treatment: for severe sepsis, the death rate can be as high as 50%, and for septic shock as high as 80%. However, if the symptoms are recognised early and treated correctly, most people will fully recover. Even so, in the UK, 5 people every hour dies from sepsis.

Sepsis deaths

The actor Jason Watkins recently shared a devastating story about his two-year-old daughter. Toddler Maud died in 2011 years ago. She had been suffering from a sore throat and shortness of breath. Her parents took her to hospital on two occasions, but she was discharged home with antibiotics. Sadly, she died during the night in her bed. The cause was sepsis.

In another harrowing story, an 11-year-old boy injured his ankle while dancing. Shortly afterwards, he developed a fever. Over the next few days, his condition worsened, and he died from septic shock. The NHS Trust admitted that ‘early signs of sepsis’ were evident on his visit to the hospital and that if he had been treated promptly, he would likely have survived.

Strep A

The group of bacteria known as Strep A include a wide range of bacteria, which look like short strings of beads when looked at under the microscope. These bacteria are responsible for a wide range of infections ranging from mild to severe and life-threatening. Strep A commonly causes skin and throat infections, such as impetigo or ‘strep throat’. These bugs also cause scarlet fever and rheumatic fever, but thankfully these infections are not the threat to life they used to be.

Strep A bacteria become dangerous when they invade the body and infect the blood, lungs and other organs.  In the worst cases, Strep A infections cause death by shock and organ failure. The headline maker ‘necrotizing fasciitis’ also known as the ‘flesh-eating disease’, also caused by Strep A, is not as common as the media coverage would lead you to expect. However, when outbreaks of Strep A infection happen, they can have devastating consequences.

NHS Mid Essex deaths

In September this year, it was confirmed by NHS Mid Essex that 14 people have now died from Strep A infection. In total 37 people in the area have been infected, with symptoms ranging from a simple sore throat, to a high fever and vomiting. All affected are elderly and most were receiving treatment for wounds, either in care homes or in their own homes. It is thought that the infection may have been spread by unknowingly contaminated health care workers who were treating the wounds. Enhanced infection control measures are now in place and a deep clean of nursing bases has been ordered by Public Health England. Hopefully, the infection is now contained, and no other victims are claimed. We will no doubt hear more, when an Inquiry takes place.

Strep B

Strep B bacteria colonise the gut and genitourinary tracts of around one-third of healthy adults and cause no harm. Most people won’t realise they have it. The danger arises when the bacteria enter the body, especially in vulnerable people such as children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. In these cases, there is a serious illness and death risk due to sepsis, lung infection and meningitis.

Has anything like this happened to you or someone close to you?

Have you or someone close to you suffered long-term consequences due to an inadequately treated infection? Has someone died that could have otherwise lived if the infection had been spotted on time? If medical negligence has resulted in injury or death, you may be able to claim compensation. For infectious disease & sepsis claims to be successful, it must be shown that a duty of care was owed to the patient and that duty of care was breached, for whatever reason, resulting in harm. If you think you may have a case for compensation due to medical negligence, please contact our specialist team. We are ready to hear from you, and we want to help. Call 020 7485 8811 or complete our online contact form.

Our Promise to You

• We will review your potential sepsis claims by advising you on the NHS complaints procedure or other alternative procedures if your case does not relate to NHS care and treatment.
• We will not charge a fee for our time in reviewing your case.
• We can assist you with any issues that you may have regarding the complaints procedure or that you encounter in obtaining copies of your medical records.
• We will advise you of the course of action with respect to your case.