Sepsis claims

Sepsis, also known as septicaemia or blood poisoning, is a serious reaction to an infection or injury such as appendicitis, meningitis, peritonitis, flu, pneumonia or post-surgical infection. If it is not treated quickly, sepsis can be life threatening and result in long-term health complications. Unfortunately, delays in diagnosis or misdiagnoses sometimes occur; in these cases our specialist solicitors may be able to help you bring a sepsis negligence claim.

Experienced sepsis negligence claims solicitors

Although sepsis can affect anyone, certain people are more vulnerable such as the very young, the very old, pregnant women, and patients with lower immune systems such as those undergoing chemotherapy treatment or with medical conditions such as diabetes. Symptoms in adults include slurred speech, confusion, extreme shivering or muscle pain, passing no urine, severe breathlessness and skin mottling or discolouration. Children can experience vomiting, fast breathing, fitting or seizures and may not feed properly.

Patients with sepsis can deteriorate very quickly, especially young children, which is why sepsis is considered a medical emergency and there are strict guidelines which must be followed as soon as someone is suspected of having the condition. If clinicians fail to recognise or treat sepsis in accordance with the guidelines, this can have acute, life-changing consequences such as organ failure, serious disability, amputation and even death.

Our experienced team of sepsis negligence solicitors regularly handle a wide range of compensation claims resulting from sepsis, including failures by GPs or other medical professionals to identify the early stages of infection and negligent hospital treatment. While no amount of money can make up for the mistakes that have been made, a compensation award can improve quality of life by providing financial security and access to the most appropriate rehabilitation and equipment.

The lawyers’ expertise was obvious from day one and I felt they guided me through the process extremely well.

In situations, for example, where a patient has had to have a limb amputated due to a delay in receiving the appropriate medical care for sepsis, compensation can help them purchase aids and equipment such as prosthetic limbs and wheelchairs, as well as allowing them to undergo physiotherapy and other forms of treatment and rehabilitation. Wherever possible, liability admissions and judgments are obtained at an early stage so that interim payments can be used to start rehabilitation at the first opportunity.

As specialists in this area of medical negligence, we understand that making a compensation claim can be a stressful time, and so our focus throughout is on providing the support and empathy which patients and their families need. Initial consultations to discuss possible sepsis claims are offered free of charge and without obligation. Various funding options are available to clients, including no win no fee (conditional fee) agreements.

How we help our clients

Cases involving delays in hospital referrals by GPs, out of hours and emergency services

Claims against hospitals for not recognising or diagnosing sepsis

Failures to diagnose and treat sepsis in a timely manner

Claims against hospitals where incorrect treatment was given

Cases where sepsis treatment was not in accordance with hospital guidelines

Negligent delays in the diagnosis and treatment of meningitis

Negligent delays in the diagnosis and treatment of pneumonia and post-surgical infection

Useful resources

Making a medical negligence claim

Funding a medical negligence claim

They have genuine strength in depth and are really down to earth, committed, and true specialists in their field.

The team were extremely professional and competent and I always felt that my case was in very good hands. Above this, however, I appreciated their kind and sympathetic manner through the process.

First class: professional, friendly, sensitive and ultimately successful! Thank you so much.

I felt that my solicitor was really fighting for what she thought I deserved. She was a great match. Her advice was important to me.

Everyone at Penningtons has always treated me with respect and compassion and done their best to help with my situation. I feel the whole team really have my best interests at heart.

Recent work highlights

Amputation after delayed meningitis treatment

Obtaining liability and an interim payment for a child following a delay in diagnosis of meningococcal septicaemia which resulted in a below the knee amputation. The interim funds have enabled the child to purchase therapy and prosthetic limbs.

Avoidable death of patient with pneumonia

Obtaining compensation for a woman whose husband passed away from severe pneumonia after a delay in commencing intravenous antibiotics. Expert evidence suggested that if given these antibiotics on admission to A&E, he would have survived.

Negligence due to missed sepsis diagnosis

Acting for a patient who underwent surgery to remove a benign tumour and developed sepsis post-operatively. As this was not diagnosed, she suffered a number of complications including respiratory problems and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Tragic consequences of A&E delays

Acting for the family of a father who died because of significant delays in the care provided in A&E. Due to chemotherapy, he was at high risk of infection and sepsis but was not assessed and monitored properly.

Failure to escalate nursing care

Representing the family of a man in his 40s who died due to complications arising from acute pancreatitis. The hospital admitted there were failures in the nursing care provided but denied that earlier intervention would have made a difference.

Sepsis following gastric band surgery

Advising three patients who underwent elective gastric band surgery in private hospitals and developed post-operative complications. There were failures to recognise the presence and progression of infection and the patients developed sepsis.

Case studies

We have recently settled a claim for the mother of a 14-year-old girl who sadly passed away from sepsis in 2018. Her death resulted from failings in her medical treatment while under the care of the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust.

Sepsis is a medical emergency which must be diagnosed and treated quickly to avoid what can be devastating consequences. We have settled a case where a failure to act on characteristic signs of sepsis very sadly led to a fatality.

Our medical negligence team has recently settled a claim for a young man following a missed diagnosis of sepsis. He attended his GP, feeling very unwell with back pain to the point of barely being able to walk.

We have recently settled a claim for the widower of a woman who sadly passed away because of failures in her medical treatment. The claim was against North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust.

We settled a claim against Barking, Havering & Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust for a man who died following a delay in recognising and treating his serious infection. If intravenous antibiotics had been prescribed earlier, he would have likely survived.